FBI paid more than $1.3 Million to hack terrorist’s iPhone

The FBI paid private hackers more than $1.3 million for custom software allowing investigators to break into the locked iPhone used by a terrorist in 2015's San Bernardino (CA) attack, Director James Comey indicated April 21. The bureau paid “a lot” of money, Director Comey said at an Aspen Security Forum event, without disclosing the specific price tag. “More than I will make in the remainder of this job, which is seven years and four months, for sure." The FBI director is paid $183,300 per year, according to federal salary system records. Over the course of the remainder of his term, which ends in July of 2023, he will be paid more than $1.3 million. The payment “was, in my view, worth it” Director Comey said, “because it’s a tool that helps us with [an iPhone] 5c running iOS 9, which is a bit of a corner case.”