GrayKey Tool Outsmarts iPhone’s 72-Hour Inactivity Reboot

Magnet Forensics, the creator of the GrayKey phone unlocking tool, has reportedly discovered a way to bypass a new iPhone security feature that automatically reboots devices after 72 hours of inactivity. This breakthrough could make it easier for law enforcement and government agencies to access sensitive data stored on iPhones.

The discovery was made shortly after Apple released iOS 18.1 in November 2024. The update included a new feature called “inactivity reboot,” which forces an iPhone to restart if it hasn’t been unlocked in 72 hours. While this feature was designed to enhance security by making it harder for unauthorized users to access stolen iPhones, it also posed a challenge for law enforcement agencies trying to unlock devices for investigations.

Forensic specialists typically rely on a locked iPhone being in an “AFU” state (after first unlock) to unlock the device. This state allows certain information to remain unencrypted in memory, making it easier to access data. However, the inactivity reboot feature introduced in iOS 18.1 disrupted this process by resetting the iPhone to a “BFU” state (before first unlock) before investigators could access it.

To counter this challenge, Magnet Forensics developed a new tool called GrayKey Preserve, along with an Evidence Preservation Mode for their existing GrayKey hardware. These tools effectively freeze an iPhone in its current forensic state, preserving the data until investigators receive authorization to search the device or send it to a forensics lab.

The leaked tutorial video from early 2025 demonstrates how GrayKey can bypass the inactivity reboot feature on iPhones running iOS 18.1 or later. While the video doesn’t provide specific details on the workaround, it highlights the ability of GrayKey to maintain an iPhone’s AFU state even after a reboot.

According to the video, GrayKey Preserve and Evidence Preservation Mode can also prevent the automatic deletion of certain data, such as recently deleted photos, iMessages, and cached locations. This allows investigators to preserve critical evidence for an extended period.

Although Apple and Magnet Forensics have not commented on this new development, iPhone security researcher Jiska Classen speculates that the forensics firm may have found a way to manipulate the iPhone’s clock or disable data expiration processes.

As of now, it’s unclear if this technology has been used in actual investigations or if it continues to work on later iOS versions. Nevertheless, the discovery of this workaround represents a significant advancement in iOS forensics and could have far-reaching implications for law enforcement agencies and forensic specialists.

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