404 Media: Leak Reveals How Police Bypass Locked iPhone Protections

In the newest episode of the 404 Media podcast, journalist Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai covers a leaked video showing how police can bypass the iPhone's automatic reboot mechanism to gain access to locked devices. Host Jason breaks down the wave of debate in the AI community sparked by the story about "torturing" LLMs in a robot prison. In a subscriber-only segment, Sam explains a scandalous case out of New Mexico, where a lawyer cited fabricated ChatGPT-generated witnesses in a murder appeal. • **Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube** — platforms where the 404 Media podcast is available • **Transistor** — the podcast's hosting service, which sends subscribers links to exclusive content • **iPhone's automatic reboot mechanism** — a security feature that police can reportedly bypass using a leaked tool

AI-processed from 404 Media; edited by Hamidun News
404 Media: Leak Reveals How Police Bypass Locked iPhone Protections
Source: 404 Media. Collage: Hamidun News.
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Article Fact Sheet & Key Figures
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Primary source404 Media ↗
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Key metric #1Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube — platforms where the 404 Media podcast is available
Key metric #2Transistor — the podcast's hosting service, which sends subscribers links to exclusive content
Key metric #3iPhone's automatic reboot mechanism — a security feature that police can reportedly bypass using a leaked tool

404 Media has released a new episode of its weekly podcast, covering three hot-button stories on digital security, artificial intelligence, and problems within the justice system. The outlet streams its content on major platforms — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. The full version with bonus material is available only to paying subscribers through the hosting service Transistor, which sends out unique links to exclusive content and an extended video version of the episode.

iPhone: Police Bypass Protections Through a Video Leak

The episode's main story is covered by journalist Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, known for his technology investigations at 404 Media. He reports on a leaked video demonstrating police's ability to bypass the iPhone's automatic reboot mechanism — a security feature that triggers after a wrong password entry or a period of inactivity. The leaked tool allows law enforcement to access the contents of a locked device, raising serious questions about user privacy and digital security. The story highlights a growing gap between the technical capabilities of data protection and the real-world methods used by law enforcement.

LLM "Torture": Absurd Debates in the AI Community

The second segment is hosted by Jason, who breaks down the story about the alleged "torture" of language models (LLMs) in a robot prison. The story sparked panic and debate within the AI community, which the journalist characterizes as silly and overly emotional. Jason examines why the media and the public tend to react with alarmism to news about neural networks, and dissects the absurdity of the concern expressed within the community.

ChatGPT in the Justice System: Fabricated Witnesses

In a segment reserved exclusively for paying subscribers, Sam explains an instructive and bizarre case out of New Mexico. A lawyer in a murder case used fabricated witnesses — characters generated by ChatGPT — in his appeal. The story illustrates the serious problems that arise from the careless use of generative AI tools within the justice system and raises questions about lawyers' professional responsibility when using LLMs.

About the Podcast and Its Host

The podcast is hosted by journalist Joseph Cox, a multiple award-winning investigative reporter. His investigations have had real-world impact, leading to fines totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, the shutdown of internet companies, and other significant consequences. 404 Media is available to listeners on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, as well as through Transistor for paying subscribers, who receive extended content and video versions of episodes.

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Key Questions Answered

What are the key details on iPhone: Police Bypass Protections Through a Video Leak?

The episode's main story is covered by journalist Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, known for his technology investigations at 404 Media. He reports on a leaked video demonstrating police's ability to bypass the iPhone's automatic reboot mechanism — a security feature that triggers after a wrong password entry or a period of inactivity. The leaked tool allows law enforcement to access the contents of a locked device, raising serious questions about user privacy and digital security. The story highlights a growing gap between the technical capabilities of data protection and th

What are the key details on LLM "Torture": Absurd Debates in the AI Community?

The second segment is hosted by Jason, who breaks down the story about the alleged "torture" of language models (LLMs) in a robot prison. The story sparked panic and debate within the AI community, which the journalist characterizes as silly and overly emotional. Jason examines why the media and the public tend to react with alarmism to news about neural networks, and dissects the absurdity of the concern expressed within the community.

What are the key details on ChatGPT in the Justice System: Fabricated Witnesses?

In a segment reserved exclusively for paying subscribers, Sam explains an instructive and bizarre case out of New Mexico. A lawyer in a murder case used fabricated witnesses — characters generated by ChatGPT — in his appeal. The story illustrates the serious problems that arise from the careless use of generative AI tools within the justice system and raises questions about lawyers' professional responsibility when using LLMs.

ZK
Zhemal Khamidun — CPO at Alpina Digital, product manager of AlpinaGPT. Building AI products since 2019. Hamidun News is a pet project that grew into a production aggregator with 6,000+ readers.
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