IPhone :: Apple Disabling Custom Firmware Upload Through ITunes

I just started researching IPhone hacking over the last week, and it seems to me that the obvious way to block this, is to disable iTunes ability to upload custom firmware to the iPhone by holding down option while agreeing to reloading firmware. I would think that iTunes could only allow firmware to be downloaded from a registered apple server.

The argument that it would require a customer to have an internet connection is poor, because just about everyone does, and people could take the phone to an apple store if they did not. No less restrictive than "no cash" for iPads—most people have credit or debit cards (yes I read today that policy is terminated). Or would hackers just create something that can upload the firmware and simulate iTunes so this doesn't matter?