The two worked together exploiting a vulnerability in an upstream software module written by Mozilla. That was the code reportedly used in Apple iPhones through the Lightning port to enable access. So once the hackers developed the first exploit they chained together two more. And gained full control over the main processor, to run their own code.
Then they could write and test software to guess every password combination. The Condor hack took advantage of the opportunity to unlock the phone. But it didn’t last long. Mozilla fixed the Lightning port exploit issue about 2 months after Azimuth used it as a way in.
Condor Hack Finally Made Public in 2021
After the FBI announced its success with unlocking the phone, there were concerns that Apple’s security could have been deeply compromised. In 2017, a judge ruled that the FBI didn’t have to reveal its methods or the hackers’ identities.
The FBI may not have gotten any useful information from the San Bernardino shooter’s phone. And the legal case was dropped before the FBI established any legal precedents.
