Smartphone unlock tool video released by Scottish police

In late 2019, as a shooting incident occurred at a US military base, the FBI demanded Apple to unlock the suspect’s iPhone. However, Scottish police officials released a video explaining the operation of the smartphone unlocking tool.

The video includes police using tools to access text messages, photos, calendars, and more from their smartphones, while claiming benefits for citizens under investigation. This unlocking tool was developed by Cellebrite, an Israeli-based law enforcement device data extraction service provider. Similar devices are being used by law enforcement agencies around the world as well as by law enforcement agencies around the world.

Scottish police say the advantage is that the tool allows the police to quickly check whether their smartphone contains evidence related to the incident, and to quickly return the device they investigated. Devices currently confiscated by police for speculation that they were involved in the case could be confiscated for months until any evidence is found. It can affect not only the suspects, but also victims and witnesses, but it is argued that quick identification of devices with and without evidence can minimize privacy invasion and provide better services.

However, when evidence is found on the smartphone, the data inside is completely extracted. In the video, the Celebrite device is categorized for each menu such as contact information, SMS, and call logs, and it is a structure to search by purpose category, rather than by looking for one evidence from vast data.

Celebrite was also known to have provided iPhone 5c unlocking technology owned by the killer even during the 2016 San Bernardino firearms incident. Regardless of the authenticity, it can be reconfirmed with this video that it has the technology to extract data from smartphones, including iPhones.

According to reports, Celebrite devices were once used in Apple stores. It was intended to be used by new iPhone buyers to transfer contacts and other data from Android smartphones. However, it is said that Apple stopped using it after the San Bernardino incident. Of course, there is room for controversy in terms of two contradicting points: smartphone investigations and invasion of privacy, which have become necessities for life. Related information can be found here .