Leaked Cellebrite Tool List of Phones That Can Be Unlocked. IPhone & Pixel
Confidential documents recently obtained provide an inside look into the technology used by mobile forensics company Cellebrite, revealing both the strengths and limitations of their phone unlocking tools, which are widely utilized by law enforcement agencies globally.
Cellebrite DI Ltd., based in Israel, is a digital intelligence company specializing in solutions for collecting, analyzing, and managing digital data from mobile devices.
Insights from the Leaked Documents
The leaked “iOS Support Matrix” and “Android Support Matrix” from April 2024 outline the specific phone models and operating system versions that Cellebrite’s tools can access, shedding light on the company’s capabilities as well as revealing where its technology struggles to crack more recent devices.
iPhone Unlocking Status
According to the documents, as of April 2024, Cellebrite was unable to unlock any iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, categorizing these as “In Research.” For iPhones on iOS 17.1 to 17.3.1, the company’s “Supersonic BF” (brute force) capability could unlock models like the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 series. However, the iPhone 12 and all newer devices running these iOS versions were labeled “Coming soon,” indicating that the ability to unlock these models was still under development.
This poses a significant limitation for the company, as its current unlocking capabilities only extend to iPhones released nearly five years ago on slightly older versions of iOS. With Apple reporting that 77% of all iPhones and 87% of models released within the last four years were operating on iOS 17 as of June 2024, a large portion of devices remain inaccessible to Cellebrite’s current technology.
Key iPhone Limitations
- All models running iOS 17.4 or later are listed as “In Research,” which means that Cellebrite has no current unlocking capabilities for them.
- iPhone 12 and newer models running iOS 17.1 to 17.3.1 are “Coming soon,” signaling that the tools to unlock these devices are not yet available.
- The entire iPhone 15 lineup, regardless of the iOS version, remains unexploitable by Cellebrite.
Android Unlocking Capabilities
Cellebrite shows broader support for Android devices in its support matrix, but some restrictions remain. Notably, the company is unable to brute-force access to Google Pixel 6, 7, or 8 devices that are powered off. Additionally, the leaked documents make reference to GrapheneOS, a privacy-oriented Android variant gaining popularity among security-conscious users.
Based on the April 2024 documents, the following devices are noted as inaccessible by Cellebrite’s tools:
- Android Devices: Google Pixel 6, 7, and 8 series cannot be brute-forced if they are powered off.
Broader Context
These findings emerge shortly after the FBI disclosed that they had successfully accessed the phone of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the alleged shooter in an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. While the FBI has not disclosed the specific phone model or the method used to unlock it, the Cellebrite documents highlight the challenges law enforcement faces in bypassing security on newer devices.
Victor Ryan Cooper, Senior Director of Communications at Cellebrite, confirmed the documents are authentic, explaining they are intended to help customers understand the scope of Cellebrite’s technology for ethical and legally sanctioned investigations. He emphasized that Cellebrite does not openly advertise its capabilities to avoid aiding criminal activities.
It’s important to note that Cellebrite’s capabilities are continuously evolving, and these documented limitations reflect the status of their technology as of April 2024.
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