so why isn't there anything done against Apple? Apple's lawyers are on the back of anyone who makes white iPhone cases, jailbreakers, etc.
Second, Apple hasn't sued any jailbreakers.
Looking at the URLs that iTunes and friends use behind the scenes it doesn't seem like the apple web-stuff was built by competent programmers either.
Try a few random clicks on https://iforgot.apple.com and look at the url-bar and firebug to get an idea.
edit: Nevermind, looks like they haven't actually sued any jailbreakers.
Yes, you did.
A major feature, removed by automatic patching, as a non-legal reaction to a previous jail beak attempt, was the ability to run a second OS such as linux. You might recall stories about people using networks of play-stations running linux, with their unusual cell processor architecture, to crack wpa, or model the weather.
This wasn't to sony's benefit. The playstation was a cheap way of getting the cell chip rather than buying blades full of them from IBM, absolutely because sony sold the consoles below cost and hoped to make the money back from game royalties.
The ability to run pirate, or unlicensed home-brew games threatened sonys ability to recoup this money from normal users, so they pulled second OS.
A lot of users chose the playstation over alternatives because it would run linux. It was a nice dual use 'TV media PC' and console. Sony removed the feature that they paid money for. The users were upset, probably more upset than they were by the hotz thing which was a bit abstract.
But I don't think these hackers cared, personally.