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GrayShift is a new company that promises to unlock even iPhones running the latest version of iOS for a relatively cheap price.
In a sign of how hacking technology often trickles down from more well-funded federal agencies to local bodies, at least one regional police department has already signed up for GrayShift's services, according to documents and emails obtained by Motherboard.
As Forbes reported on Monday, GrayShift is an American company which appears to be run by an ex-Apple security engineer and others who have long held contracts with intelligence agencies. In its marketing materials, GrayShift offers a tool called GrayKey, an offline version of which costs $30,000 and comes with an unlimited number of uses. For $15,000, customers can instead buy the online version, which grants 300 iPhones unlocks.
This is what the Indiana State Police bought, judging by a purchase order obtained by Motherboard. The document, dated February 21, is for one GrayKey unit costing $500, and a "GrayKey annual license—online—300 uses," for $14,500. The order, and an accompanying request for quotation, indicate the unlocking service was intended for Indiana State Police's cybercrime department. A quotation document emblazoned with GrayShift's logo shows the company gave Indiana State Police a $500 dollar discount for their first year of the service.
Importantly, according to the marketing material cited by Forbes, GrayKey can unlock iPhones running modern versions of Apple's mobile operating system, such as iOS 10 and 11, as well as the most up to date Apple hardware, like the iPhone 8 and X.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Sunday March 11 2018, @07:51AM
Have you pointed that out to your elected representatives?
Don't email them. Phone calls are somewhat acceptable but hardcopy snail mail is the most effective.
That enables your representatives to sort their constituents' letters according to the opinions expressed therein and then...
... weigh them.
"Naked Economics: Understanding The Dismal Science" points out that small but vocal interest groups are the most effective with getting legislation passed. Consider that the Feds still offer a subsidy to mohair farmers.
It happens that I share your opinion but have yet to tell my congresscritters about it. My printer's busted so I'll have to use my client's. I'll mail such a letter on Monday.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]