By Julie Clover
Graykey, a forensic tool used by law enforcement to break into locked iPhones, has limited access to iOS 18 and iOS 18.0.1, 404 Media recently learned. The site has shared documents detailing Graykey's functionality, giving us a glimpse into the device's capabilities.
Graykey's parent company Magnet Forensics has not shared information about the tool, and full details of the devices Graykey can unlock have not previously surfaced.
Most iPhones running iOS 18 or iOS 18.0.1 are listed as eligible for “partial” unlocking, though iPhone 11 models appear to be fully unlockable. Data for iOS 18.1, a newer version of iOS, is not included in the document, but iOS 18.1 betas are listed as inaccessible.
It’s unclear what “partial” access means or what data can be obtained from an iPhone with such an access list, but it could mean that law enforcement is limited to unencrypted files, file size information, and folder structure. On more vulnerable devices, Graykey can unlock an iPhone with a 4-digit passcode in just a few minutes, while longer passcodes could take several hours.
Graykey exploits iPhone vulnerabilities to unlock devices, and its capabilities may change as Apple patches security flaws. For example, in 2018, Apple disabled Graykey with the iOS 12 update, but new vulnerabilities were discovered that restored functionality. Eventually, Magnet Forensics may be able to find a vulnerability that would allow Graykey to infiltrate iOS 18 devices as well.
Earlier this year, a leak from Israeli mobile forensics company Cellebrite suggested that its tools couldn't unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, but they could now access devices running iOS 17.5.1.
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