Israeli mobile device forensics firm and law enforcement contractor Cellebrite has publicly announced on Twitter that the newest version of its product called Universal Forensic Extraction Device or UFED is capable of unlocking any iPhone or iPad in the world, including iOS devices that are running the latest iOS 12.3 (via Wired).
The company says it can “perform a full file system extraction on any iOS device” and that its technology is available to any law enforcement agency that can pay for it, without requiring to send the devices to Cellebrite for extraction.
Cellebrite is proud to introduce #UFED Premium! An exclusive solution for law enforcement to unlock and extract data from all iOS and high-end Android devices. To learn more, click here: https://t.co/WHsaDxzoXz pic.twitter.com/BSixEkyAuL
— Cellebrite (@Cellebrite_UFED)
Cellebrite says that its tool can determine passcodes and perform unlocks for app Apple devices, giving purchasers the ability to perform a full file system extraction. On Android, the company says that all flagship Samsung devices can be similarly penetrated:
Cellebrite has likely possessed the ability to unlock iOS 12.3 devices prior to this announcement, says Dan Guido, the founder of the New York-based security firm Trail of Bits and a longtime iOS-focused security researcher. “It’s well understood that this is the business Cellebrite is working in,” he says. “It was only a matter of time until they solved the problem, and then told people about they solved it, which is what we’re seeing now.”
Researchers believe the tool will give investigators access to newer and updated devices that they didn’t have access to before.
