PyAirLift

Cross-platform implementation of the AirLift (ATAirlock) sandbox-escape file writer for iPhones, built on pymobiledevice3. Works on Linux, Windows and macOS, over USB or Wi-Fi (whatever transport lockdown_session provides).

AirLift pushes new files into arbitrary sandbox-external directories on the device (e.g. /var/mobile/Library/Caches/TelephonyUI-10) by abusing the Apple Books AirTraffic sync (ATC). Because ATAirlock uses a rename, only files whose names are not already present can be written.

Install

pip install -e .

Python 3.9+, dependency: pymobiledevice3>=10.6.

CLI

# List connected devices (JSON for machines)
pyairlift devices --json

# Show details (name, iOS version) of each device
pyairlift devices --details

# Validate an iPhone for AirLift
pyairlift check --no-autopair

# Write files into a device directory (leaf name = file name)
pyairlift write /var/mobile/Library/Caches/TelephonyUI-10 en-1---white.png @3x.png

# Push every file of a local directory into a device directory
pyairlift write-dir ./theme/ /var/mobile/Library/Caches/TelephonyUI-10

# Trace the ATC sync session on stderr, pick a specific device
pyairlift write /var/mobile/Media/x ./f.bin --udid 00008120-0006 --verbose

--udid accepts a partial serial. Exit codes: 0 success, 1 the device refused / a step failed, 2 usage error. With --json only the JSON document is printed on stdout; all progress goes to stderr.

JSON output examples

pyairlift devices --json:

{
  "command": "devices",
  "devices": [
    {
      "serial": "00008120-0006155436F0E01E",
      "connection": "USB",
      "usb": true
    }
  ]
}

pyairlift check --json:

{
  "command": "check",
  "ok": true,
  "product": "iPhone15,4",
  "version": "27.0",
  "build": "24A437",
  "tested": false
}

pyairlift write ... --json — the write result:

{
  "command": "write",
  "targetDirectory": "/var/mobile/Library/Caches/TelephonyUI-10",
  "written": ["en-1---white.png"],
  "failures": [],
  "ok": true
}

Python API

import asyncio
from pyairlift import write_files_to_device, AirliftError

async def main():
    with open("en-1---white.png", "rb") as fh:
        png = fh.read()

    result = await write_files_to_device(
        None,  # first available iPhone, or a serial
        "/var/mobile/Library/Caches/TelephonyUI-10",
        [("en-1---white.png", png)],
        log_cb=lambda msg: print(msg, flush=True),
    )
    print(result["written"], result["failures"])  # {"ok": True, ...}

asyncio.run(main())

Lower-level control (you manage the lockdown session):

from pyairlift import device_session, write_files

async def main():
    async with device_session(serial) as lockdown:
        return await write_files(lockdown, "/var/mobile/Media/x", files)

Functions expecting an already-open LockdownClient (for advanced callers):

• write_file(lockdown, target_dir, leaf, payload, log_cb=None)
• write_files(lockdown, target_dir, files, log_cb=None) — batch, degrades to per-file sessions on failure
• check_target(lockdown, log_cb=None) — validate + warn on untested builds
• normalize_target(path), posix_rel(path, base)

Device discovery:

• list_devices() — usbmuxd devices, no pairing side effects
• device_info(serial) — name, iOS version/build, model, pairing status
• device_session(serial, *, autopair=True, pair_timeout=120, ...) — safe lockdown context manager

Errors: AirliftError, AirTrafficSyncRejected. Constants: TESTED_BUILDS, AIRLOCK_ROOT, AT_C_SERVICE, MAX_AT_C_ASSETS_PER_SESSION.

Notes

• Verified builds are in TESTED_BUILDS, other builds are warned about but not blocked.
• The device must be unlocked and trust this computer; otherwise the ATC session is rejected.
• Only new names can be written (ATAirlock renames). Re-applying the same files is a no-op reported as failures.

Credits

• 0xjohnnydev for the original airlift (airlift.py, AirCard exploit.rs FFI)
• GoldenNugget for the Python implementation this project ports