GG1

JamesBrickley said:

Physical access to any device would result in potential exploit. If one were to hand over a device to law enforcement or especially border control and received it back, you should immediately reset the device via DFU mode and set an entirely new strong passcode.  I wouldn't even unlock it, I would shut it off and connect it to a computer in DFU mode then wipe it and re-download and install the signed operating system. Then restore backup from the computer.  Previous backups being made regularly to the computer and not iCloud as your iCloud backups are not encrypted and Apple could supply your iCloud backups to law enforcement.  

For maximum security, don't use iCloud and especially not iCloud backups. Set a very strong passcode of 20+ characters.  If handing over to someone else disable FaceID/TouchID so only the passcode is allowed.  If they give the device back, you either destroy it or DFU wipe and restore the OS and restore a local encrypted backup.  

If traveling across nation state borders either don't bring your primary device or bring a burner you can discard. They may demand you unlock the device so they can inspect / image it. Border security laws are drastically different than normal law enforcement. They may seize your device. The US, Australia and New Zealand have highly invasive demands.

But the truly paranoid will simply go off grid.  Zero electronics whatsoever.  Your smartphone is constantly broadcasting unique identifiers over cellular, wi-fi, bluetooth, or NFC and you can certainly be tracked. When you see that COVID-19 map of those cell phone users on the Daytona FL spring break beach and each device was tracked back to their homes across the country.  That should open ones eyes that metadata is extremely valuable.  Many retail stores are tracking your movement through the store by using these broadcast identifiers and if you pay with a credit card or store card or use a membership card they tie all that data together and identify you.

The encrypted data stores on an iPhone contain far more detail that never leaves the device.  But Android phones send all that data back to Google.  Notice how Google is not being hounded by the DOJ only Apple.  The most sensitive privacy data is kept on the device and as such Apple is providing the highest level of privacy at this time. 

In many cases these Grayshift articles are not explaining the details such as the latest model iPhones not being vulnerable but because there are so many older models these devices are still viable for law enforcement.  When the DOJ mentioned that latest crack against the terrorists iPhones they mentioned that the technique used already doesn't work on the latest models.  That might have been a reference to the hardware flaw that Apple fixed after the iPhone X that was the beginning stage of a jailbreak.  The Grayshift device has found some way to side-load a hidden App that breaks the rules sandboxed apps normally follow.  It's possible the device is indeed jailbroken.  Some Apps such as BlackBerry Work among others will detect the jailbreak and cease functioning as well as destroying the encrypted corporate email storage. Most MDM managed devices would also report on a jailbreak and an MDM administrator would then remotely nuke the device for security purposes.  

If a device leaves your possession you can no longer trust it.  This has always been the case.  

the1maximus said:

I don’t understand why the hold out companies, Walmart, Home Depot, & Lowe’s to name a few, haven’t activated contactless payments. Yes I know Walmart has “Walmart Pay” but seriously how many people actually use it?

avon b7 said:

Scambling in the present tense is perfectly correct. It won't have a 5G modem until the end of the year. Then when it does have one it could be a full generation behind in next to no time and not have another window until very late next year.

I will restate how potentially dramatic this was on a strategic level. 

If Apple hadn't reached an agreement with QC, where would Apple be on 5G terms? 

It would have been there for the picking. Samsung would have driven a very hard bargain. Mediatek deals in slightly lower end chipsets. Not a good fit for Apple. 

That would leave Balong5000 and good terms from Huawei but Trump wouldn't like that would he?

It was QC or bust. 

AppleInsider said:

At around 6:30 p.m. Eastern, affected apps like TikTok, Pinterest, Spotify, Tinder, Viber and others were rendered non-functional. The problem appears to have impacted all or nearly all apps that integrate Facebook's third-party login tools.