Cops Can Bypass iPhone's Automatic Reboot To Get Into Locked Phones (404media.co)
- Reference: 0185919476
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/26/10/01/1813207/cops-can-bypass-iphones-automatic-reboot-to-get-into-locked-phones
- Source link: https://www.404media.co/cops-can-bypass-iphone-automatic-inactivity-reboot-graykey/
> A company that makes phone hacking devices claims to have developed a solution that freezes iPhones in a state that [1]lets cops more easily access sensitive data inside them , according to a video obtained by 404 Media. [...] The new technology to get around inactivity reboot was developed by Magnet Forensics, the company behind GrayKey, a popular tool sold to law enforcement agencies that allows them to unlock and access data stored in iPhones and Android smartphones. Magnet has developed a new device called GrayKey Preserve and a feature for its regular GrayKey devices called Evidence Preservation Mode, according to the video.
>
> "This is an absolute game changer for iOS forensics and a function that I wish we had years ago," a Magnet employee says in the leaked video, specifically mentioning that the solution is targeted at the iPhone's inactivity reboot feature and the data it makes unavailable. GrayKey Preserve and Evidence Preservation Mode are also designed to combat another iPhone feature that automatically deletes certain data -- such as cached locations, and recently deleted photos and iMessages -- after a certain number of days. "We're gonna be able to preserve that data for an infinite amount of time."
>
> [...] 404 Media shared a transcript of the video with Jiska Classen, a researcher at the Hasso Plattner Institute who studies iPhone security. While Classen said that it's impossible to know for sure how Magnet's new feature works based on the video, she posited some theories and agreed that it is "quite a game changer" or "at least puts things back to where they were before inactivity reboot." She thinks Magnet has found a way to manipulate the iPhone's clock, effectively "slowing down time" or even "stopping the clock from ticking, even after a reboot." Most likely, according to her, the GrayKey may disable the iPhone tasks that set data to expire.
The "inactivity reboot" feature mentioned above was added to iOS in November 2024 and automatically restarts iPhones that have not been unlocked for 72 hours, making them harder for police to access using forensic tools.
[1] https://www.404media.co/cops-can-bypass-iphone-automatic-inactivity-reboot-graykey/
isn't this a form of DRM piracy? (Score:5, Insightful)
how is overcoming a game's DRM and related IP theft-prevention efforts 'illegal' any different than this?
or maybe reverse engineering an app so you don't have to pay for it
legit quesion requesting thoughtful feedback, not politics nor a zealot's rantings
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
There is a specific carveout in the DMCA that exempts law enforcement and intelligience activities from the law's provisions. 17 U.S. Code  1201(e)
Re: isn't this a form of DRM piracy? (Score:2)
Which of course is how you know that we're slaves
Seems like a business opportunity (Score:2)
How long until we get cases for journalists, etc, which have a failsafe which physical destroys the phone without blunt force or some chemical? Seems like the only real way to protect yourself besides having a dummy travel phone or not using a smartphone at all.
Re: (Score:2)
The government makes an example out of you. [1]https://arstechnica.com/gadget... [arstechnica.com]
[1] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/activist-charged-with-felony-after-giving-border-agent-duress-code-that-wiped-his-phone/
Re: Seems like a business opportunity (Score:2)
That would be destruction of evidence, we just had a whole discussion about this recently where it was established that this is the legal reality. Please please please look up how it works before saying anything at all, please.
Re: (Score:2)
Quite. Invoking a self-destruct mode within sight of whatever cop wants the data is a Bad Idea. There's room to argue whether this is how it ought to be, but this is currently how it is. Don't wipe your phone after being asked to hand it over, unless you KNOW it contains data that will get you (or others you care about) in more trouble than a 'destruction of evidence' charge, or unless you want to make an expensive stand on principle. There are legitimate folks who live in that gray area: political diss
And the public arms race continues (Score:2)
But we the people only know that we can't trust the government to control themselves, and we can't trust the tech giants to control themselves, and we can't trust the government to control the tech giants, and we can't trust the tech giants to protect us from the government.
Where is King Ludd when you need him?
Correction (Score:2)
> "This is an absolute game changer for iOS forensics and a function that I wish we had years ago," a Magnet employee says in the leaked video
"This is an absolute game changer for iOS forensics and a function that I wish we had years ago," a Magnet privacy rapist says in the leaked video
There FTFY.
Surprise? (Score:2)
I won't expect US devices not to have government backdoors in one way or another. Sure they can talk a lot about secure elements and so on. The actual backdoor is then placed somewhere else and doesn't need to crack that.
If a device is in regular use (no before first unlock state), I for example expect that both Apple and Google are willing to push a special update to the device. Both stores are capable of installing apps without user interaction on the device and any limitations why this usually needs user
GrapheneOS ftw (Score:1)
As far as I know, they're the only ones with real phone or even device security these days.
Re: (Score:3)
To everyone who believes that innocent people should not have privacy, may you get all you wish for. But just you. No one else.
Re: (Score:3)
"May you live in interesting times, May you gain the attention of powerful people, May you get what you wish for."
Re: GrapheneOS ftw (Score:1)
True. Time to switch to grapheneOS with a duress password and see if it can be modified to use a keydisk to power it on, on top of a password