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Cops Can Bypass iPhone’s Automatic Reboot to Get Into Locked Phones, Leaked Video Claims (www.404media.co)

submitted 2 days ago by tonytins@pawb.social to c/technology@lemmy.world

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A company that makes phone hacking devices claims to have developed a solution that freezes iPhones in a state that lets cops more easily access sensitive data inside them, according to a video obtained by 404 Media.

This is the latest salvo in the never-ending battle between Apple and companies that help cops — sometimes those in authoritarian countries — break into iPhones.

In November 2024, 404 Media revealed Apple quietly introduced a new feature in iOS that automatically reboots an iPhone that has not been unlocked for 72 hours. The idea behind this so-called “inactivity reboot” is to revert the phone to a state that makes it harder for police to break into the device, and thus extract sensitive data from it with forensics technology.

At the time of Apple’s change, law enforcement agents expressed concern about this new feature, given that oftentimes they can’t immediately try to break into iPhones that have been seized. That could be because police are still waiting for a court authorization to do so, or there is simply a backlog of devices to unlock, for example.

Archive: https://ghostarchive.org/archive/DuJxb

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[–] weps@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

but that's only needed when apple doesn't give access to the phone which they just do when there's a warrant

cops have no problems getting in iphones there's just a little delay sometimes

they still have all the hacking technology too

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

[citation needed]

Apple's been pretty good at patching vulnerabilities and a pain in the ass for cops trying to get into phones, with the only actually better option being GrapheneOS.

[–] weps@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I get it from watching crime interrogations.

When they get the warrant they're allowed to ask for passwords but they don't need them to read everything on the phone. It goes to the lab.

If it's in the cloud then apple reports the crimes anyway.

[–] W98BSoD@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

When they get the warrant they're allowed to ask for passwords…

Ok; key word is ask. I don’t have to tell. Or what if I’ve genuinely forgotten it?

… but they don't need them to read everything on the phone. It goes to the lab.

So then why ask?

[–] weps@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

it's cheaper to get the passwords. They're allowed to ask but don't need them. That's why they ask. You don't have to give the passwords because they're allowed to ask. People often misunderstand and think they have to give the passwords because there's a warrant but you don't have to. They take the computer stuff to the lab anyway and the tech companies give access to the cloud stuff.

[–] W98BSoD@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Ok; please provide recent documentation that the police, “…have no problems getting into iPhones.”