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Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

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Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices.

iphone-14-lineup.jpg

The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media reveals that for all locked iPhones capable of running iOS 17.4 or newer, Cellebrite's status is listed as "In Research," indicating they cannot reliably unlock these devices with their current tools. This limitation likely extends to a significant portion of modern iPhones, as Apple's own data from June shows that 77% of all iPhones and 87% of iPhones introduced in the last four years are running some version of iOS 17.

Interestingly, the documents indicate that Cellebrite recently added support for the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 series running iOS 17.1 to 17.3.1. However, for iPhone 12 and newer models running these same iOS versions, the status is listed as "Coming soon," suggesting Cellebrite's continuing attempts to keep pace with Apple's security advancements.

Another document shows that Cellebrite can break into most Android devices, but not all of them. Cellebrite cannot, for example, brute force a turned-off Google Pixel 6, 7, or 8 to get the users' data.

The revelation comes despite Cellebrite's marketing claims that their Premium service, which offers additional capabilities, can obtain passcodes for "nearly all of today's mobile devices, including the latest iOS and Android versions."

Cellebrite's Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) is widely used by law enforcement agencies worldwide for extracting data from mobile phones. Cellebrite first garnered significant attention in 2016, when it was believed the company was enlisted to help the FBI break into the ‌iPhone‌ 5c of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook after Apple refused to provide the FBI with tools to unlock the device.

The FBI did not use Cellebrite's services for that particular case, but several US government agencies do regularly work with Cellebrite to unlock iOS devices.

Apple continually introduces improvements to the security of its operating systems in order to keep ahead of companies like Cellebrite that are always searching for flaws and vulnerabilities to exploit in order to access the data on locked iOS devices.

For example, in October 2018 Apple successfully thwarted the "GrayKey" ‌iPhone‌ passcode hack, sold by Atlanta-based company Grayshift, which had also been in use by U.S. law enforcement.

Article Link: Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/07/18/cellebrite-unable-to-unlock-iphones-on-ios-17-4/
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Apple's commitment to continuing to upgrade their security is admirable. The desire of authoritarians to control and monitor everything is continual and Apple's attempts to limit it help everyone. Security theater from some vs actual security on iOS.
 
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contacos said:
all these tools yet the EU wants to „protect“ us with those annoying Cookie Banners. All just a front to preach falls safety while actually spying on us in secret anyway.

Also the irony trying to click one of the links in the article:

„This connection is not private“
Click to expand...

It probably whines the link is not https. Security theater for a public article.

Incidentally, where's the Android devices link?
 
MacRumors said:
Cellebrite first garnered significant attention in 2016, when it was believed the company was enlisted to help the FBI break into the ‌iPhone‌ 5c of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook after Apple refused to provide the FBI with tools to unlock the device.
Click to expand...

The FBI waited to call Apple until after they had screwed around with the phone. One would think the F B friggin I would follow chain of custody procedures. The head of the FBI then asked Apple to make a patched version of iOS that bypasses the lock screen that they could install on any phone. Apple refused. Apple offered all the data it had, and if they hadn't messed with it first could have helped more.

Anyway more on topic, there's always the $5 wrench method. If people practice perfect opsec then the phone is locked up tight. But there's almost always an easier way than cracking the phone directly.


security.png

Security
 
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CarAnalogy said:
The FBI waited to call Apple until after they had screwed around with the phone. One would think the F B friggin I would follow chain of custody procedures. The head of the FBI then asked Apple to make a patched version of iOS that bypasses the lock screen that they could install on any phone. Apple refused. Apple offered all the data it had, and if they hadn't messed with it first could have helped more.

Anyway more on topic, there's always the $5 wrench method. If people practice perfect opsec then the phone is locked up tight. But there's almost always an easier way than cracking the phone directly.


View attachment 2398003
Security
Click to expand...

I call BS on that. You see the size of the wrench he's holding? There's no way he paid $5 for that. Not with today's economy and COVID chip shortage. That's at least $20.
 
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Uffff .... The information is not updated!!!! Now it is possible to unlock or access the information of iPhones on all iOS versions, including 17.5.1, under certain conditions.
 
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GrayKey can unlock iPhone 15 Pro, Samsung Galaxy 24, and Pixel 8.

www.magnetforensics.com

Magnet Graykey supported mobile devices - Magnet Forensics

Access is the cornerstone of digital forensics. Magnet Graykey accesses more data than any other extraction technology to help you solve more cases. iOS support Device support Android OS support Android support *These devices are supported via Broad Consent access.
www.magnetforensics.com www.magnetforensics.com
 
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contacos said:
all these tools yet the EU wants to „protect“ us with those annoying Cookie Banners. All just a front to preach falls safety while actually spying on us in secret anyway.

Also the irony trying to click one of the links in the article:

„This connection is not private“
Click to expand...
Even if there were no cookie banners do you think these tools would still be around?
 
that probably does not include this forensic software infecting your Mac. I got infected with this spyware on an iPhone 8 running iOS 16. once you connect an infected iPhone to your Mac macOS is instantly hacked and compromised. you can no longer update the Mac to a newer version of the os thru software update. it does not work. it wont even let you build a bootable macOS reinstall on a usb drive. you have to do it on Windows or an uninfected Mac.


my solution to government spying..........


THIS!!!!!!

 
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Good.

The argument that law enforcement needs access to it to solve crimes is bad and flawed - Most of the time there is no useful information on it (e.g. shown by the phone of the shooter in the recent Butler events, but there are so many more examples). If there is useful information, they usually could have found it in more traditional ways without the risk of exposing my privacy to criminals for identity theft.

Opening the phones up (via a backdoor or cracking tool) is an invasion of privacy with almost no value to law enforcement.

Thanks, Apple (and Google to a smaller degree) for protecting my privacy.

I mostly don't care if anyone sees my browser history or whatever, but then, I also have banking information on my phone. Having a backdoor as law enforcement always wants would open it up for abuse and potentially leak information that can be used for identity theft.

I still need to see a convincing argument as to why law enforcement needs access to my phone and how they would protect it from being abused (either by them or by criminals gaining access to it). Law enforcement has other means to get needed information (there might be a bit more paperwork for them, but I don't care, I want my privacy to be protected)
 
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Darren.h said:
that probably does not include this forensic software infecting your Mac. I got infected with this spyware on an iPhone 8 running iOS 16. once you connect an infected iPhone to your Mac macOS is instantly hacked and compromised. you can no longer update the Mac to a newer version of the os thru software update. it does not work. it wont even let you build a bootable macOS reinstall on a usb drive. you have to do it on Windows or an uninfected Mac.
Click to expand...
What software?
 
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