"Across the web and on Telegram, there's a "thriving" ecosystem of software sellers helping power the market for stolen iPhones by providing "unlocking" tools and the technology to produce phishing messages to help get access to a phone, according to findings from researchers at cybersecurity firm Infoblox. The company says it has tracked "dozens" of groups selling unlocking tools, mostly with a focus on iPhones, and has linked more than 10,000 phishing websites to the activity. Traffic to these domains increased 350 percent last year, the researchers say."
""Reselling is a hundred percent what they're going for," says Maël Le Touz, a staff threat researcher at Infoblox, who says people from all around the world appear to be buying access to the pay-per-use software. The average cost is below $10. "Most of the people looking to unlock phones clearly don't have thousands of phones in their hands-they're not at that scale," Le Touz says."
"Over the last few years, the number of phones being stolen has risen-for example, with around 80,000 devices being taken in London in one year. While Apple and Google have improved their protections for stolen devices, a variety of more- and less-sophisticated thieves can still make money from stolen handsets: If a phone is unlocked or a thief has its passcode, they can potentially steal money from online bank accounts or crypto wallets; those snatching phones on the streets or in bars can make hundreds of dollars selling them on."
Millions of phones are stolen each year, and criminals profit by selling unlocked and wiped devices rather than only parts. Researchers at a cybersecurity firm identified an underground ecosystem of software sellers operating across the web and on Telegram. The services provide iPhone unlocking tools and technology for producing phishing messages to obtain access to phones. Dozens of groups were tracked selling unlocking tools, mostly targeting iPhones, and more than 10,000 phishing websites were linked to the activity. Traffic to these domains rose 350% in the prior year. The pay-per-use software costs under $10 on average, suggesting buyers seek access for resale rather than large-scale theft. Improved Apple and Google protections reduce some risks, but unlocked phones or stolen passcodes still enable theft from bank accounts and crypto wallets.
Read at WIRED
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