“Moscow-based Elcomsoft has developed a tool to collect iCloud backup files without knowing a person’s Apple ID, a development intended to help law enforcement analyze seized computers,” Jeremy Kirk reprots for IDG News Service.
“The company, which specializes in forensic tools, said the feature has been incorporated into the forensics edition of Phone Password Breaker, which can crack password-protected backups for Apple and BlackBerry devices,” Kirk reports. “Elcomsoft previously figured out how to access iOS mobile backups remotely without having a person’s actual device. But to do that, law enforcement did need to have a person’s Apple account credentials.”
“The latest development allows investigators to access an iCloud backup without those credentials. It does have limitations, however, as investigators need to have a suspect’s device in hand,” Kirk reports. “Also, when the computer is seized, the suspect has to be logged into the iCloud Control Panel, which is used to manage what data is backed up on a device.”
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