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SecurityQuiet 3d · day 3

Toronto police unable to crack seized GrapheneOS phone in shooter-for-hire probe

Investigators believe the encrypted device holds evidence about who ordered contract killings at the U.S. consulate and other targets.

newest coverage 2d agosummary written 2d ago4 pieces39 likes & upvotes7 comments RedditHacker NewsMastodon

What to know

  • Police investigating Toronto's shooter-for-hire network cannot unlock a seized phone running GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused operating system they say is nearly impenetrable, blocking access to communications about who ordered the attacks.
  • The case is driving police support for Bill C-22, federal legislation that would require tech providers to give law enforcement access to encrypted data—a proposal opposed by tech companies and civil-liberties groups.
  • GrapheneOS, created by Toronto programmer Daniel Micay, is designed specifically to prevent the kind of law-enforcement access police are seeking; the project states it has not received and cannot assist any such requests.

Toronto Police Service / Myron Demkiw Police chiefGrapheneOS project / Daniel Micay Privacy-focused OS creatorUnknown shooter-for-hire network Criminal network under investigation

Toronto police unable to crack seized GrapheneOS phone in shooter-for-hire probe
theglobeandmail.com

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump posts

Peak 3 pieces in one hour at Sep 21, 6 AM; 4 pieces over 3 days (1 article · 3 posts) Sep 21, 5 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 6 AM — 3 pieces · 3 posts — Reddit 2, Hacker News 1Sep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quiet 1–2
Sep 22yesterdaynow · 2:56 AM ET
  1. background

    GrapheneOS project condemns violence; reaffirms design blocks law enforcement — The GrapheneOS project, created by Toronto programmer Daniel Micay, states through its lawyers that the operating system can be used for legitimate or criminal purposes and condemns violence. It confirms it has not received requests from Canadian police and asserts the system is designed to make law-enforcement assistance impossible.

  2. 2

    Police chief backs federal encryption-access legislation

    Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw publicly supports Bill C-22, federal legislation before Parliament that would force electronic service providers to facilitate data interception for police investigations. Toronto Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer states that law enforcement needs lawful tools to address criminals' use of encrypted technology.

    “As criminals increasingly use encrypted technology to facilitate serious criminal activity, law enforcement needs the appropriate lawful tools to keep pace…”
    — Stephanie Sayer
  3. 1

    Police unable to unlock seized GrapheneOS phone in investigation

    An unnamed police source reveals that a key cellphone seized in connection with the shooter-for-hire network runs GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused operating system that investigators have been unable to penetrate. Police believe the device contains communications that could identify those who ordered the shootings.

    “Investigations into a series of shootings in Toronto have been stymied because a key cellphone that was seized in connection with the case is running on a privacy-focused operating system…”
    — Police source
    1. 1 outlet Probes into Toronto’s shooter-for-hire network thwarted by impenetrable phone, police source says

      first by Mastodon, 2d ago

  4. background

    Police raid suspects; officer killed in operations — In response to the consulate attack and shootings at synagogues and businesses, police launched raids, arrested several suspects, and one officer was killed during the operations.

  5. background

    Gunman fires on U.S. consulate in Toronto — A shooting attack occurs at the U.S. consulate in Toronto, the first in a series of targeted incidents.