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Dutch Police decrypt Blackberry

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(@wotsits)
Posts: 253
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http//www.extremetech.com/mobile/221057-dutch-police-claim-they-can-crack-pgp-encrypted-blackberry
http//www.bbc.com/news/technology-35291933

Interesting news recently that Dutch Police were able to decrypt and read encrypted Blackberry emails.

The two things that jump out at me are the fact they only refer to having read the emails, suggesting that they weren't able to decrypt the entire device, and that news articles appear to speculate on the police having used chip off or J Tag forensics to get at the data - my understanding is this is not possible on new Blackberrys and iPhones as the chip is encrypted at the core (unless the device is jailbroken).

What are people's thoughts on how this was done?

I'm wondering if anyone working in a Law Enforcement environment has seen an increase in the number of devices that cannot be accessed due to the increased use of encryption on iPhones and such, and what is the procedure with such devices when they can't decrypt them?

 
Posted : 14/01/2016 1:48 pm
jaclaz
(@jaclaz)
Posts: 5133
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And also the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, seemingly

https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2016/01/13/police-say-they-can-crack-blackberry-pgp-encrypted-email/

Of course these are mostly "generic rumours" and "hearsay" amplified/distorted at each subsequent re-print/re-publish by the press.

The "original" news (Dutch)
http//www.misdaadnieuws.com/amsterdam-00053.html
are not that bad via Google Translate

Monday December 21 2015 181900
Crime News has access to confidential reports received from the Dutch Forensic Institute (NFI) in relation to investigations into PGP encrypted BlackBerry phones. The BlackBerry's encryption are in ongoing criminal investigations found with the suspects.

Cellebrite
The data in the mobile phones have been secured with the Dutch Forensic Institute (NFI) method developed and forensic software UFED4PC Version 4.0.0.220 of the company Cellebrite. The secured data exported its email messages and then decrypted by the NFI.
Crime News has contacted a spokesperson for the NFI, which confirmed that the encrypted messages on the BlackBerry PGP encryption devices can be read. The NFI reports it has become clear that deleted messages can be largely recovered and the encryption can be read. Also, the length of the password that is used for sending and opening of the PGP messages is not relevant to the decryption.
- See more at https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.it&sl=nl&tl=en&u=http//www.misdaadnieuws.com/amsterdam-00053.html&usg=ALkJrhgycoLe5vUMlxS_D1M09Kiv_vi7EQ#sthash.3pqSKeOn.dpuf

"Cellebrite UFED4PC" (by itself) doesn't really sound as "chip-off". ?

jaclaz

 
Posted : 14/01/2016 4:09 pm
RolfGutmann
(@rolfgutmann)
Posts: 1185
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Dementi http//www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2441512/dutch-police-claim-to-have-cracked-blackberry-encryption

 
Posted : 16/01/2016 1:21 am
(@xunayd)
Posts: 4
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big $$$ bring big powers )

 
Posted : 19/01/2016 5:56 pm
(@dmitri)
Posts: 12
Active Member
 

We didn't play much with BlackBerry devices, but according to what I know, BB uses unique keys, which are built-in on the hardware level, so even the phone owner can't see the key.

That makes original BB username/password and the device necessary to decrypt the stored data.

But maybe they have found a way to pull the key out, having the device on hands.

Anyway, I feel my information on topic could be outdated and I would like to hear more details as well.

 
Posted : 21/01/2016 3:15 pm
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