The FBI paid more than $1 million to the professional hackers that helped it break into an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorists, according to comments made by the bureau's director James Comey.
During the Aspen Security Forum in London Thursday, Comey told the audience the FBI doled out more than he will make in his remaining time as director — which amounts to seven years and four months.
According to
Reuters, Comey's salary was $183,300 in 2015. If he doesn't receive a raise or a bonus, he will make $1.34 million during the remainder of his time at the FBI.
That means the FBI spent at least that amount on hackers.
"But it was, in my view, worth it," Comey said.
The iPhone 5c used by Syed Farook was locked with a passcode, so authorities had been unable to access the data on the phone in the wake of the December 2015 attack that killed 14 people.
After Apple refused to help the bureau out of privacy concerns, investigators turned to
professional hackers who were able to expose a software flaw, which allowed the FBI to figure out the passcode without the data being erased.
Reports this week said the FBI has since
discovered new information on the phone.
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