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  • Worried about my seized Pixel 7

I’m reaching out for some advice and guidance. I recently had my Pixel 7 seized by law enforcement as part of an investigation. I’m worried about how long it will take for law enforcement to get my device open? Specifically the FBI in the United States. I’ve heard that law enforcement still can't get into recent pixels, but I’m not sure how long it would take them to exploit the titan M chip. My phone was in BFU mode and the password was 6 characters so bruteforceable.

Can anyone provide some insight? Keep in mind I am completely innocent and they seized my phone due to a parallel unrelated investigation. (im a journalist)
Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

Also what is unencrypted during BFU mode? Can they see what apps i had installed etc? I believe this is available during AFU mode but not sure what is left unencrypted during BFU mode.

    rabidity assuming the information provided is correct your data should be completely safe. If the device is in BFU and the Pixel 7 has brute force protection due to the secure element. I don't want to say it's impossible but unless they guess your PIN easily the device should be impenetrable. Definitely consider using a password if high security is a need. However a 6 digit pin should also take a hell of a long time to brute force if there is no exploits they can find that aren't disclosed yet and it's not a 6 digit pin they can guess easily.

        grapheneosenjoyer1377 how long do you think it will take for them to have a secure element exploit? I know my data is safe for now but they've been able to exploit pixel 5s and older. wondering how long it will take for them to exploit the pixel 7

          I haven’t seen anything about the Titan M1 being penetrated, let alone the M2.

          Have I missed something?

            Did you change the default reboot after 18 hours option?

            Did you change the default USB-C behavior to "ON'?

            Is it a serious national security investigation where the results aren't charges but drone strikes and rendition teams?

            If the answer to those is no then you have essentially nothing to worry about and there is basically a zero percent chance they crack your phone via technical means (as opposed to learning your PIN somehow).

            Unless they can unlock your phone within 18 hours it will reboot and be BFU.

            Unless you changed the USB settings then, again it will have to reboot before they can establish a USB connection.

            Unless it is a major NatSec investigation no one is potentially burning theoretical GOS exploits to get into your phone. Or the resources needed to try the more esoteric means of potentially cracking it.

              missing-root
              My mistake. The point remains the same though.

              The M2 has no known exploits and any that might theoretically exist aren't going to be used for anything ending up in a court of law until/unless Cellebrite and the like integrate one.

              Timeline on that is impossible to predict, it could be tomorrow, it could be a hundred years from now.

                When did they seize it how much time has passed ? I know someone who his phone pixel 7a seized in Germany and he got it back after 3 months, they were not able to extract any data from the phone.