Silent Circle, the company that distributes the security-focused Blackphone 2, is actively seeking out and bricking Blackphone 2 devices that have not been sold through its official channels. The company is doing this through an update of its Silent OS Android software, and some people are already feeling the effects of it.
Silent Circle’s VP of Product Management, Blair Young says that the company is aware that there are “unofficial” Blackphone 2 devices out in the market. These may be counterfeits that were manufactured by the company’s outsourced hardware partners that went beyond Silent Circle’s official production runs, or “clones” made by other manufacturers. “Silent Circle is aware that unauthorized devices have been manufactured as Blackphones and we’re working aggressively to stop the sale of those,” Young said.
It looks like these unofficial Blackphone 2 devices are also running official software. Upon getting the update for Silent OS Release 3.0.7, the software is able to determine if the device was sold via official channels. If not, then the software puts up a message that the device is unlicensed, and proceeds to brick the baseband of said device.
Some people who have bought their devices through eBay have reached out to Silent Circle because of this, but the company is sticking to their hardline stance on this issue. Copies and clones of the Blackphone 2 have been available through unofficial channels for cheaper pricing.
VIA: Ars Technica
