The Capabilities and Limitations of Graykey

Examining Graykey’s Unlocking Scope
Content derived from 404 Media:

Graykey, a tool utilized by law enforcement globally for phone unlocking and forensics, has the ability to recover partial information from all modern iPhones running either iOS

Examining Graykey’s Unlocking Scope

Content derived from 404 Media:

Graykey, a tool utilized by law enforcement globally for phone unlocking and forensics, has the ability to recover partial information from all modern iPhones running either iOS 18 or iOS 18.0.1, the two most recent versions of Apple’s mobile operating system. This information is based on detailed documents outlining the tool’s functionalities, acquired by 404 Media. Notably, there is no mention within the documents regarding the extent of data accessible through Graykey for the public release of iOS 18.1, launched on October 28.

Additional details:

Regarding Android phones, Graykey’s efficacy varies due to the wide array of devices and manufacturers. For Google’s Pixel range, Graykey can only access partial data from the latest Pixel 9 when the device is in an “After First Unlock” (AFU) state—meaning it has been unlocked at least once since being powered on.

Categories: cell phones, forensics, hacking, iPhone, law enforcement

Photograph in sidebar credits to Joe MacInnis of Bruce Schneier.

About Author

AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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