Hackers (Not Israeli Firm) Cracked Terrorist’s iPhone for the FBI

[Batu69]

Report claims the FBI paid hackers to unlock the phone

While Apple’s waiting for more information on how exactly the FBI managed to break into the San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone, more information emerges through unofficial channels, this time bringing to light new details about who actually performed the hack.

It was originally believed that the FBI worked together with Israeli tech firm Cellebrite to unlock the iPhone and to prevent the data from being erased, but according to a report coming from the Post and citing people with knowledge of the matter, the bureau actually worked together with a group of hackers to do it.

It appears that a group of hackers has contacted the FBI and proposed a different unlocking method that would involve hardware specifically built to break into the device, as well as software used to prevent the phone from wiping stored data after 10 unsuccessful password entry attempts. It was all possible with an undisclosed vulnerability that the hackers were aware of in iOS 9 and which Apple doesn’t seem to know at this point.

“Government-friendly” hackers

The FBI agreed to pay the hackers to unlock the device, but the exact amount of money is not yet known. It appears that the hackers, however, are part of a group that “hunts for vulnerabilities in software and sends them to the government,” so it wasn’t the first time they worked with the FBI.

The custom-built hardware to unlock the San Bernardino iPhone could be the reason the FBI cannot break into other devices.

But on the other hand, the agency might still have the software needed to disable the automatic wipe in case of 10 consecutive failed password entry attempts, so with such code, the FBI can proceed with its own brute force attacks should it want to hack another iPhone.

The worst thing for Apple (and consequently for iPhone users) is that the company has no clue about the vulnerability that the hackers used to break into the device, so it has no other option than to wait and hope that at some point in the near future it leaks and thus makes it possible for its engineers to develop a patch.

Article source

[straycat19]

1 hour ago, Batu69 said:

a group that “hunts for vulnerabilities in software and sends them to the government,”

 

How about that...patriot hackers.  Take that Anonymous!  Or is it just misinformation.  Whatever, it seems the playing field is leveled for a while.  How secure is a device that can be jailbroken anyway?  Hardware to unlock phones has been available for years so it isn't much of a reach that it could be used on an iphone also.  

[Reefa]

FBI paid “gray hats” for zero-day exploit that unlocked seized iPhone