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Browse 8,265 companies freeA deep investigation into Cellebrite's data collection, privacy violations, and surveillance practices. Founded 1999 in Petah Tikva, Israel.
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Try SeekerPro →Cellebrite is the world's leading provider of mobile device forensics tools, used by law enforcement agencies in over 150 countries to extract data from locked smartphones. The company's UFED (Universal Forensic Extraction Device) can bypass lock screens, extract deleted data, and access encrypted content from most iOS and Android devices. Cellebrite Premium, the company's most advanced offering, can crack the latest iPhone and Android security in hours or days. The tools have been sold to authoritarian regimes including China, Myanmar, and Belarus, where they have been documented being used to access the phones of detained protesters, journalists, and political prisoners. In the United States, Cellebrite tools are used by local police departments, ICE, CBP, and the FBI. Border agents have used Cellebrite devices to search travelers phones without warrants, a practice that remains legal under the border search exception. The company went public via SPAC in 2021 and has positioned itself as a lawful interception company, but the lack of end-user restrictions means its technology regularly enables human rights abuses.
The following is a documented list of data points that Cellebrite collects from users, customers, and in some cases non-users. This data powers their business model, fuels targeted advertising, and in many cases is shared with or sold to third parties including government agencies.
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Try BliniBot →Below is a timeline of documented privacy violations, regulatory fines, lawsuits, and enforcement actions against Cellebrite. These events represent only the violations that became public. The true scope of data misuse at any major company is almost certainly larger than what regulators and journalists have uncovered.
Tools used by Myanmar military against detained pro-democracy protesters
N/A (human rights concern)
China and Hong Kong authorities documented using Cellebrite on dissidents
N/A
Signal vulnerability in Cellebrite software discovered
N/A (security flaw)
US border agents use Cellebrite for warrantless phone searches
Legal under border exception
You do not have to accept Cellebrite's data practices. These alternatives offer comparable functionality with significantly better privacy protections. Switching reduces the volume of personal data flowing into commercial surveillance systems and sends a market signal that privacy matters.
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Try ContentMation →Start by understanding what data Cellebrite already has on you. Check your account settings, download your data archive if available, and review what permissions you have granted. Use OpenPublicHub to research the full scope of Cellebrite's data practices and compare them against industry standards.
Disable unnecessary data collection settings, revoke app permissions you do not actively need, and opt out of personalized advertising where possible. Review connected third-party apps and remove any that you no longer use. Every permission you revoke reduces your attack surface and limits the data available for profiling.
Under GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws, you have the right to request access to, correction of, and deletion of your personal data. File a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to see what Cellebrite holds about you. Use BliniBot to automate the process across multiple companies simultaneously.
The most effective protection is to stop using privacy-invasive services entirely. The alternatives listed above offer comparable functionality without the surveillance. Start with the service you use most frequently and work through the list. Every user who switches sends a market signal that privacy is a competitive advantage.
Privacy threats evolve constantly. Follow this expose and related reports on OpenPublicHub to stay updated on Cellebrite's practices. Share this page with friends and colleagues so they can protect themselves too. Collective action and informed consumers are the most powerful force for changing corporate behavior.
Yes, in most cases. Cellebrite Premium can bypass lock screens and extract data from recent iPhone and Android models, though the time required varies from hours to days depending on the device and OS version. Keeping your device fully updated with the latest security patches reduces but does not eliminate the risk.
Yes. Thousands of US law enforcement agencies, from local police to the FBI, use Cellebrite tools. CBP and ICE use them at borders and during immigration enforcement. A 2020 Upturn investigation found at least 2,000 US agencies had purchased Cellebrite technology.
Yes. Under the border search exception doctrine, US CBP agents can search electronic devices at borders without a warrant or probable cause. Cellebrite tools enable comprehensive extraction of phone contents during these searches. If you are crossing a border, consider traveling with a clean device.
Upgrade to SeekerPro for deep-dive reports on every company that touches your data. Members get breach timelines, violat...
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