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by lukev 599 days ago
If you're going to claim that random hacking groups routinely do something the FBI and NSA claim to be unable to do... citation needed.
2 comments

Ok [1]

"Since then, technologies like Grayshift’s GrayKey—a device capable of breaking into modern iPhones—have become staples in forensic investigations across federal, state, and local levels."

"In other cases where the FBI demanded access to data stored in a locked phone, like the San Bernardino and Pensacola shootings, the FBI unlocked devices without Apple’s help, often by purchasing hacking tools from foreign entities like Cellebrite."

1 - https://www.firstpost.com/tech/the-fbi-was-able-to-hack-into...

An issue with taking their claim at face value is they have no incentive to say they can:

- they can keep asking for backdoors to "stop terrorists"

- they're not on the hook if for whatever reason they can't access a particular phone in a very mediatized case

- most targets (the not so sophisticated ones at least) keep using a device the agencies have proper access to

Regardless of their actual technical means, I don't expect we ever get a "we sure can!" kind of public boasting any time soon.