A device used by law enforcement agencies to obtain data from phones has appeared on eBay, where it is sometimes listed as low as $100, Engadget reports.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security buy models of the Universal Forensic Extraction Device made by Cellebrite for as much as $15,000. However, Matthew Hickey, the co-founder and director of Hacker House, a company that offers cybersecurity training, managed to purchase multiple UFEDs on eBay. He even found data on the devices, specifically numbers that can identify specific devices.
"The cellebrite UFED touch became EOL recently to be replaced with Touch 2 and Ufed4pc. I noticed the units have been appearing on eBay in various states of disrepair," Hickey tweeted earlier this month. "I picked these up for $100 each just recently (yes some still work)."
Hickey said one device had been used to gain access to phones made by Samsung, ZTE, Motorola and LG, and he was able to unlock old iPhones and iPods.
Cellebrite’s terms do not allow customers to resell their UFEDs, and they reportedly sent letters recently asking their clients to destroy or return their devices.
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