Hello,

Briefly speaking, "hacking" is not illegal in any way and is very useful to open the platform security in order to access lots of very interesting customizations and additions !

As you may know, S60 v3 and v5 (OS 9.x) devices can be hacked to remove the platform security introduced in OS 9.1 onwards thus allowing users to install "unsigned" files (files without certificates validated by Symbian) and allowing access to previously locked system files. This allows changing of how the operating system works, allowing hidden applications etc. to be viewable...

If you're an S60 user, chances are, you've come across some great applications, designed by a great independent developer, only to be frustrated to discover that the application is only available unsigned.("Symbian Signed" concept has been wrong from the start...) There are two ways to these applications - either 'hack' your phone to remove the 'signed' restriction, or get a certificate for your phone and sign the application yourself.

Well even if i don't recommend you go this route (hacking your phone) you can simply get a certificate for your phone, and sign each application individually.

This will maintain the security that Symbian Signed allows, while still allowing you to make the ultimate decision about what gets installed on your phone. It is important that you know and trust the source of any application that you install to your phone.

But if you want do more than sign the unsigned applications, and customize your device (change default shortcuts, add some visual effects, fix some default settings etc), then yeah, you have to hack your lovely symbian device !

Ps : Some websites can call this hack "Ethical hacking" but it really won't change the fact that some 99% of users use it to install cracked softwares and NOT to explore and creatively mod the OS, so please, don't ask me for cracked softwares, i won't promote that, at least in a public way... ;)

Also, remember that the security system of your phone is there to protect you from what can happen to you without you even knowing about it (i.e. protecting the phone from being used by malicious code) !

So please, if you hack your S60, do it only to play with the OS and install LEGAL, unsigned software !

Questions? Ok, we can start now !