U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has recently entered a $3 million agreement with Magnet Forensics, a company known for its data extraction and phone-hacking technology, specifically their Graykey device. This contract was disclosed in the federal government procurement database, indicating that the software licenses for Graykey will aid Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in retrieving digital evidence, processing several devices at once, and generating critical forensic reports—tasks vital for national security and public safety.
Although the contract doesn’t specifically name Graykey, its context suggests that this is indeed the technology intended for use. Graykey, originally developed by Grayshift, is designed to unlock smartphones and extract their data. It gained further prominence after Magnet Forensics merged with Grayshift following an acquisition by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in 2023.
This latest contract is part of a series of agreements that ICE and HSI have established with Magnet Forensics and its partner, Panamerica Computers. Other notable contracts include a subscription to the Magnet Griffeye Enterprise platform, which is designed to organise and analyse data and evidence, valued at $145,000; GrayKey software renewal licences for law enforcement investigations in Detroit worth $90,000; additional software licences to assist HSI in recoveries on multiple devices worth $57,000; and a $12,000 contract for unspecified software licences for HSI in Charlotte.
Though TechCrunch reached out for comments, Magnet Forensics did not respond. While inquiries were made about how ICE intends to utilise the Graykey devices—especially regarding the data extraction from the devices of arrested migrants—ICE declined to provide detailed information on their investigative techniques, citing potential risks to law enforcement personnel and operations.
ICE’s arsenal of technological tools for various operations is well-documented, including facial-recognition software from Clearview AI and cell phone spyware from Paragon, among others. Last year, ICE also contracted Magnet Forensics for Graykey for $5 million, indicating a significant investment in this type of technology, which was originally launched in 2016 to compete against the long-established UFED system by Cellebrite, an Israeli firm.
The ongoing deployment of these sophisticated tools raises questions about privacy and the implications for individuals processed under immigration laws, particularly regarding their data security and rights.
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