According to a federal filing Immigration and Customs will pay Cellebrite between $30 and $35 million for technolagy to hack cell phones.
In 2016 Cellebrite became widely known by offering to hack the iPhone of the San Bernardino shooter. The $35 million is for “universal forensic extraction devices (UFED)” and “accessories licenses, training and support services.” for 12 months, with the option for extending for up to five years.
CBP needs no warrants to search at borders. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has authority to operate within 100 miles of any U.S. border so, immigration checkpoints could pop up at any place in the U.S. up to 100 miles away from a border. About 65% of the U.S. lives within that distance of an external boundary.
Last year Homeland Security spied on journalists, activists, lawyers and and put them on enhanced screenings list given to CBP, this screening included and device searches by Border Patrol.
Vice confirmed last year the company has also sold hacking tools to to Russia, the UAE, and Turkey. a press release from Cellebrite in 2016 says they have “licenses in 100 countries” this is half of the nation states earth.
Cellebrite may have been involved with the hacking of iPhone in China. The nation state was hacking iPhones of people they have been putting into concentration camps. An ICE employee hung up on me after asking about Cellebrite’s involvement in china.
Hat Tip to Internet News Flash.