Director Comey say FBI paid hackers megabucks to crack Farook iPhone

FBI director James Comey, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in London today, suggested his agency paid as much as $1.3 million to the as-yet-unnamed private group that hacked into the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook.

Comey wouldn’t give the exact amount of the payment, but said it is “more than I will make in the remainder of this job.” Comey makes $183,000 per year; he’ll make about $1.34 million while he remains the director.

The FBI recently said it found no new and useful evidence on the Farook phone that might point to a connection with international terror groups or any other co-conspirators.

The FBI got a court order in February to force Apple to help unlock the Farook phone, but later abandoned the order after saying it had found a way to hack into the device.

Source | FastCompany