DriveSavers is offering a customer data recovery tool to retrieve pictures and files from locked devices
DriveSavers, Inc., a computer hardware data recovery, digital forensics, and electronic discovery firm, has announced a new smartphone data recovery service that can unlock password-protected devices, including the notoriously tough-to-crack iOS devices.
According to the company, the service called Passcode Lockout Data Recovery is the first “passcode lockout recovery service” for regular consumers that has a “100 percent success rate,” irrespective of passcode length.
The service, priced around $3,900, uses new proprietary technology to recover data from password-locked smart devices that have previously been limited to law enforcement agencies and remained unavailable to the regular consumer.
“Utilizing new technology, we have a 100% success rate with unlocking and recovering data from passcode-protected smartphones of every make, model and operating system with any length passcode, including phones and tablets with more complicated passcodes of six digits or more,” reads DriveSavers’ advertising pitch in part.
While it is unknown what technology DriveSavers is using to access data on the device, it could likely be a passcode guessing feature or something related to iCloud data. According to the company, the service helps in recovering data like photos, videos, contacts, text messages, voice recordings, and notes.
The service is being offered exclusively to consumers who have forgotten device passwords, been locked out after too many incorrect attempts, and for those who need access to data stored on the device of a deceased family member.
“How do we verify the owner of a device?” DriveSavers asks. “We understand that there may be no perfect solution to this issue. However, we attempt to validate the legal right to access the data during all phases of the recovery process. This starts with the information gathered during the intake process. We also have a legal authorization form requiring specific information identifying the right to the data.”
A DriveSavers spokesperson said, “Depending on the situation, we may request death certificates, probate documents, court documents, or other legal documents. In the case of a death, we verify who is the executor of the state through interview and documentation.”
However, the service is not available for law enforcement or other government agencies, DriveSavers says. The service can be used to get access to critical or sentimental data stored on locked smart devices running any operating system, such as iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows.
“Smartphones store irreplaceable data like family pictures and videos, contacts, notes, text messages and voice recordings,” says DriveSavers President Scott Moyer. “Losing access to this type of data can be devastating. We are delighted to offer this service to individuals who are locked out of their phones or wish to gain access to memories stored on a lost loved one’s smart device.”
Earlier this year, Israeli company Grayshift released the GrayKey device, which allowed law enforcement agencies and other organizations to get into the iPhone’s passcode security using some kind of proprietary jailbreaking software. However, Apple soon patched the flaw and the GrayKey was allegedly disabled with iOS 12.