iPhone 15 Professional Max
Leaked paperwork declare that Cellebrite software program utilized by legislation enforcement businesses can’t unlock any more moderen fashions than 2018’s iPhone XR if they have been up to date to iOS 17.4.
Cellebrite has all the time gone to nice lengths to maintain secret the way it can unlock iPhones, and particularly asks its legislation enforcement clients to not reveal the knowledge. Nonetheless, whereas its strategies and instruments haven’t been disclosed, an April 2024 doc itemizing which iPhones it could actually unlock has been leaked.
In line with 404 Media, two paperwork had been obtained from a Cellebrite buyer and despatched anonymously to the publication, with one masking iPhones, one for Android. The paperwork embody a matrix itemizing all cellphone varieties, ranges of iOS updates, and the way they are often unlocked.
Important sections of the mannequin/iOS matrix are listed as both “Coming Soon,” or “in Research.” Particularly, the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14 ranges are listed as “Coming soon” from iOS 17.1 to iOS 17.3.1.
All of them are at the moment listed as having the ability to be unlocked as much as iOS 17.0.3.
Part of a leaked doc exhibiting Cellebrite’s capabilities (Supply: 404 Media)
As of the doc’s April 2024 date, these mannequin iPhones can’t but be unlocked if they’re working iOS 17.4 or later:
- iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Professional, iPhone 11 Professional Max
- iPhone SE (second technology), iPhone SE (third technology)
- iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Professional, iPhone 13 Professional Max, iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Professional, iPhone 14 Professional Max
- iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Professional, iPhone 15 Professional Max
Every of those is listed as being “in research.” Whereas which will change — and will have already got modified — it signifies that at that time, none of those iPhones may very well be unlocked by Cellebrite.
A transparent omission within the record is the iPhone 15 Plus, however this information comes from a phase of the doc in order that that mannequin may very well be listed individually. It is unlikely that the mannequin is weak when the remainder of the iPhone 15 vary is just not.
So, at current, it seems that Cellebrite can solely unlock iPhones which might be older than 5 years — if customers haven’t up to date to iOS 17.4 or later. In February 2024, it was reported that 76% of energetic iPhones had been on the preliminary iOS 17 launch, whereas 20% had been on iOS 16, and 4% on older variations.