How the NSA Can Get Onto Your iPhone

The Snowden leaks have given security experts a look into the NSA’s techniques in a way they could only have previously dreamed about.

But it’s often difficult to understand, from their jargon-filled technical specifications pages exactly what the agency is capable of.

We asked security expert Ashkan Soltani to break down the leaked document about the NSA’s DROPOUTJEEP program, which describes the agency’s ability to infiltrate the Apple iPhone.

According to the leaked documents, which were first revealed by Der Spiegel, this program was in development as of 2007 and would allow the NSA to remotely take over any iPhone it chose to target.

It’s unclear whether the program exists in the same form or whether it’s been updated or even abandoned. Apple says it was unaware of the program.