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Cops Can Bypass iPhone's Automatic Reboot to Get into Locked Phones

287 points · 226 comments · speckx

  1. axus · · focus · HN ↗
    Does this mean iPhones are worth more to steal?
    1. klinquist · · focus · HN ↗
      No. This requires an expensive license for a government agency to purchase in order to take advantage of this functionality.
      1. polskibus · · focus · HN ↗
        Can you provide a reference to that?
        1. klinquist · · focus · HN ↗
          Unfortunately not a one I can prove to you online. I have a family member who is a district attorney, so that's my source. He said that that companies like the ones mentioned in the article sell licenses to unlock a single phone to a city or county. The city or county pays if they consider it worth it. The cost can be 5 figures.
          1. klinquist · · focus · HN ↗
            (so the people that discover these exploits will sell them to the companies for 6 or 7 figures, far more than they would get from an Apple/Android bug bounty)
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