# Cellebrite Tech Used by Russian Authorities on Dissident Months After Stated Pullout Russian authorities utilized **Cellebrite** phone data extraction technology to access a dissident's device in May 2021, a mere three months after the Israeli commercial surveillance company announced it had cut ties with Russia over human rights concerns. This continued deployment of **Cellebrite**'s **Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED)** suggests the firm faces challenges in recalling its technology from authoritarian government clients, according to **Citizen Lab** researcher **John Scott-Railton**. "The historic architecture of **Cellebrite** forensic systems means that much of the functionality in the **UFED** product has continued to operate long after updates cease," a **Citizen Lab** report stated. The report also highlighted that **Cellebrite** systems have historically included an offline mode, concluding that "The way **Cellebrite**'s technology was designed appeared to make it difficult for the company to meaningfully cut off problematic customers." **David Gee**, **Cellebrite**'s Chief Marketing Officer, informed Recorded Future News that "any use of legacy **Cellebrite** hardware in Russia after March 2021 is entirely unauthorized." He added that "The **Cellebrite** hardware previously sold, prior to March 2021, would now be incompatible with modern devices and would operate without our technical support, our consent or any legal sanction from **Cellebrite**." **Gee** emphasized that "Rapid technology advances render legacy digital forensic hardware and software ineffective within a short period of time. Russia remains permanently on our restricted-customer list." **Citizen Lab** has previously documented instances where authorities in repressive regimes, including **Serbia**, **Jordan**, and **Kenya**, have used **Cellebrite** tools against civil society members, fueling concerns about the company's commitment to preventing abuse. ## A Dissident Jailed The case in question involves prominent Russian political activist **Andrey Pivovarov**, who was detained by Russian authorities in May 2021. His devices, an **iPhone 12** and an **Apple MacBook**, were seized shortly thereafter, as detailed in the **Citizen Lab** report. **Pivovarov**'s devices remained in official custody until 2023, and he neither consented to the searches nor provided his passwords. **Citizen Lab** researchers determined with high confidence that **Pivovarov**'s phone was accessed on or around June 17, 2021, while in the possession of Russian authorities. This timeline places the extraction just three months after **Cellebrite**'s announced withdrawal from Russia. Forensic analysis of **MobileLockdown** records from the phone revealed USB connections to a device with a Host ID previously attributed to **Cellebrite**. In July 2022, **Pivovarov**, former director of the Russia-based **Open Russia** nonprofit, was sentenced to four years in prison for his activism. Court records obtained by **Citizen Lab** corroborate its forensic findings, showing that multiple documents extracted from **Pivovarov**'s phone were used to build a case against him on charges of "carrying out the activities of an 'undesirable' organization." The court documents also indicate that **Cellebrite**'s **UFED** was deployed to search for specific political terms once the phone was accessed. Russian authorities were reportedly unsuccessful in breaching the **MacBook**. **Pivovarov** was released in a 2023 prisoner exchange and now lives in exile in Germany. He remains concerned about surveillance and plans to write to **Cellebrite**'s CEO, seeking an explanation for the continued use of its **UFED** by Russian authorities and inquiring about preventative measures against future abuse. "I'm a little nervous that in the future it can continue," **Pivovarov** stated in an interview. "It's very bad when such clever software is used for Putin’s vision." ## 'Plausible Deniability' Advocates and researchers highlight that **Cellebrite**'s technology serves as a potent tool for repression in the hands of autocratic regimes, enabling the extraction of journalists' sources, deeper understanding of opposition movements, and tracking of dissidents' collaborations. **Scott-Railton** also noted **Cellebrite**'s plans to roll out new AI features, which he believes will enable "even more efficient extraction of people's social graph, which worries me." He urged **Cellebrite** to take decisive action: "If **Cellebrite** wants to stop equipping political prosecutions, the path is clear: stop selling to autocrats, remotely-disable their tech after credible reports of abuse, and end the era of plausible deniability by implementing cryptographically-signed watermarks on all imaged devices." **Citizen Lab** and the nonprofit **Access Now** have sent a letter to **Cellebrite**'s top executives, urging them to cease sales to regimes with a history of abusing their technology and to collaborate with civil society in spearheading "human rights due diligence" efforts both before and after technology sales, as reported by **Natalia Krapiva**, Senior Tech-Legal Counselor at **Access Now**.