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Phone-Hacking Tool Law Agencies Use Cost Just $100 on eBay
When smartphone companies refuse to help law enforcement agencies access encrypted devices, investigators often turn to companies like Cellebrite, which offers its Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) to help them hack the phone in question to access secure data The problem? This week, Forbes reported that UFEDs--which normally cost between $5,000 and $15,000--can now be bought on eBay for as little as $100.
In addition to letting anyone with a likeness of Benjamin Franklin break into other people's devices, these used UFEDs were also found to contain data from previous investigations.
Forbes said Hacker House co-founder Matthew Hickey bought a dozen UFEDs to see what secrets they might contain. He reportedly found that the "secondhand kit contained information on what devices were searched, when they were searched and what kinds of data were removed," as well as the searched phones' IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) codes.
Related: Washington Post: The FBI Paid "Gray Hat(s)", Not Cellebrite, for iPhone Unlock
Meeting Cellebrite - Israel's Master Phone Crackers
Cellebrite Appears to Have Been Hacked
Federal Court Rules That the FBI Does Not Have to Disclose Name of iPhone Hacking Vendor
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 03 2019, @04:06AM (1 child)
No reason to give the state any advantage over the rest of us.
(Score: 2) by jb on Monday March 04 2019, @02:57AM
Quite right.
Excuse me if I've missed something obvious (which is quite possible, since I've lived in America), but it occurs to me that, given the USA classifies cryptographic tools as "munitions", shouldn't it be just fine & dandy for anyone to own them, by virtue of the second amendment?
(Score: 1, Redundant) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Sunday March 03 2019, @04:14AM (4 children)
You say that like it's a bad thing.
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(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday March 03 2019, @04:25AM (3 children)
We said no such thing, Crawforbes.
Actually it is bad because all the devices got bought up or removed. Thanks, F****s.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Sunday March 03 2019, @05:13AM (2 children)
I came to say something similar. Electronic security of any kind is an arms race. Our second amendment intended that the citizens have access to the same weapons that government uses against them. IMO, that second amendment guarantees the right of private citizens to access these weapons. A hundred dollars a pop? OK, so the poorest of the dirt poor can't access them - but they can't buy a reliable firearm either. Everyone else can get one if they scrimp and save. People in the middle class don't even have to scrimp and save. Actually, that sounds about right!
But wait - wut did you say? THEY'RE ALL GONE?! THAT SUCKS!! Well, I hate doing business with Wal-mart or Amazon, but I'll check them both. Have you looked at Home Depot?
Alternative für Deutschland
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday March 03 2019, @07:48AM
Well gee whiz, an Israeli company in the only nation that gets an unredacted stream of NSA data is somehow really good at finding backdoors in everything.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 03 2019, @05:29PM
"Electronic security of any kind is an arms race"
and if it's not open-source you $ELL to both sides!
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Sunday March 03 2019, @10:20AM (2 children)
I'm missing something here. The obvious joke went over my head, or something. Are they saying Ben Franklin was a police officer?...or an incompetent CIA agent?...or is this a $100 bill joke?
Ben Franklin was an amazing inventor, writer, and philosopher. Every time I see a person wearing bifocals or notice a lightning rod I think to myself, "Thanks, Ben Franklin."
(Score: 4, Funny) by realDonaldTrump on Sunday March 03 2019, @11:48AM (1 child)
It means a hundred dollars. It's a low class way of saying that. When you're hiring someone, you ask "how much for an hour?" Right? I'll tell you, if she starts talking about Benjamins, she calls it Benjamins, maybe that's someone you don't want to hire. Somebody with NO CLASS. And maybe you hire her anyway, right? Be careful with that one. Or you'll be sorry when you go to the Doctor!!!
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Sunday March 03 2019, @11:08PM
NOW it makes sense! Laughed and +1'd.
I see where my disconnect was now - in "anyone with a likeness of Ben Franklin" I took the word likeness as meaning appearance.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 03 2019, @08:37PM
So cool story bro, old equipment is available on ebay. But now its national news and they'll start destroying it. No longer will you have a chance to see how these devices work because some "hacker" wanted his 5 minutes of fame. Who's side is he on again?