Android Phones More Vulnerable to Hacking Than iPhones: Report
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Android-based phones may be easier targets for hackers and government agencies than iPhones, according to leaked documents from Israeli cyber spy company Cellebrite, as reported by 404 Media.
The issue of cellphone users’ privacy has gained attention after the FBI announced on Monday that its “technical specialists successfully gained access to Thomas Matthew Crooks’ phone.” The authorities did not specify the device used by the suspected shooter in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Reports over the past few years have suggested that thousands of politicians, journalists, activists, and business figures worldwide have had their cellphones accessed using the Israeli spyware program Pegasus. The software allegedly allows hackers to read messages, view photos, track locations, and activate cameras and microphones without the phone owner’s knowledge.
404 Media reported on Wednesday that an anonymous source recently sent two documents from April, titled “Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix” and “Cellebrite Android Support Matrix,” respectively. The documents were supposedly given to one of Cellebrite’s clients and were not intended for public release.
According to the article, Cellebrite, which sells its tools to federal, state, and local law enforcement as well as to other companies and service providers, was unable to hack many modern iPhones as of April 2024.
One document describes Cellebrite’s ability to access devices with various iterations of mobile operating systems, stating that tools to hack phones based on iOS 17.4 or newer versions are “In Research,” meaning they cannot necessarily be unlocked with Cellebrite’s tools.
For iOS 17.1 to 17.3.1, the Israeli firm supposedly said it can access the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 series, released in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The other leaked document reportedly focuses on Android-based devices, indicating that Cellebrite can hack most of them. However, Google Pixel 6, 7, or 8 smartphones remain inaccessible when switched off, according to 404 Media.
Cellebrite confirmed the authenticity of the documents in an emailed statement to 404 Media. Victor Ryan Cooper, the firm’s senior director for corporate communications and content, said, “The reason we do not openly advertise our updates is so that bad actors are not privy to information that could further their criminal activity.”