FBI paid more than $1.34 million for iPhone 5c unlock tool

The FBI offered more than $1.34 million for the unlock tool that the service used to access data on an attacker’s iPhone 5c. Reuters calculated this based on statements by a top executive of the FBI.

Federal Bureau of Investigation chief James Comey was asked on Thursday at the Aspen Security Forum what his agency had paid for the software needed to bypass the security of the iPhone 5c of the perpetrator of the San Bernardino attacks. . He said that it was more than he would make in the remaining seven years and four months with the FBI.

Reuters calculates that Comey earns $1.34 million with his annual salary of $183,300 in the period he mentioned. So if the CEO’s comment is correct, it seems that the FBI paid more than that amount. The unlock tool does not work with later models than the iPhone 5c, Comey announced earlier.

It is not known how the method works and the FBI is still unsure whether it should be disclosed. Trading in so-called zero-day exploits, for which no patch is yet available, is very lucrative and can generate tens of thousands of dollars. The amount that the FBI chief insinuates seems to be exceptionally high.