More Than 2000 U.S. Law Enforcement Agencies Use iPhone Hacking Tools
The use of so-called forensic tools, with which law enforcement authorities can gain access to data on smartphones, has expanded massively. Now there is a terrifying report on how widespread the use is.
Regardless of whether it is an iPhone or Android smartphone,
whether it is secured with a PIN, password, or biometric data: Hacker tools that
circumvent the encryption of smartphones and grant access are now commonplace
among the police in the USA. According to a report in the New York Times which
is also covered by the Apple Insider, 49 of the 50 largest police departments
in the United States have access to appropriate devices with which they can
read devices from suspects.
The use has spread massively
According to an investigation, basically, every American
runs the risk of having their phone forensically searched by law enforcement
agencies. There seem to be no more technical hurdles at all. The New York Times
published a comprehensive report on this with the help of the nonprofit company
Upturn. Around 18,000 authorities across the country are said to have tools for
smartphone hacking.
The authorities in the USA not only often have on-site tools
with which they can extract all data from a smartphone or tablet, but can also
often use providers such as Cellebrite. Upturn’s documents now show that
Cellebrite charged around US $ 2,000 to unlock a smartphone, thus agreeing a
very profitable deal with the US authorities. In addition, according to Upturn,
there is an agreement with the Dallas Police Department that is said to have
paid $ 150,000 for a premium hacking tool.
The means of choice for “minor” offenses
The easy access to these tools has not only made them easier
for law enforcement agencies to use, but has also made them a standard tool for
even minor offenses. Initially, appropriate orders to inspect smartphones were
only granted in the case of serious crimes such as murder and rape, and the use
of forensic tools was ordered. Smaller offenses such as shoplifting, marijuana
possession, or brawls with the hacking tools are now also being investigated.
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