I recently lost my brother to suicide, and I have his computer and phone but both are locked with a four-digit PIN. I've been told that law enforcement uses software to crack passwords, and I'm wondering if there are similar services available for private citizens to help me access his devices. I'm located in Florida, and while the investigation is mostly over, I'm seeking answers about his final days. Is there anything I can do to retrieve data from his locked devices?
5 Answers
Depending on the model and OS of your brother's devices, there might be some methods to decrypt or access them. It really varies, though. If you don't want to wait ages for new exploits, you could just hold onto them and see if anything changes in the tech world down the line.
As a probate attorney, I should mention that for cloud-based services like iCloud or Google Drive, you can get a court order to obtain access. But for the devices themselves, unless you're willing to pay around $50k to a specialized hacker, there's not much you can do.
Have you thought about why you need access to his devices? Understanding his state of mind could be important, especially since he had bipolar disorder. Some people have mentioned that making educated guesses about PINs can work; often they relate to significant dates like birthdays or anniversaries. It might be worth a shot!
I'm really sorry to hear about your loss. This is undoubtedly a tough time for you. Unfortunately, unless you have the PIN, it's generally really difficult to access modern devices without some serious technical know-how or costly solutions. You might be out of luck unless someone skilled could help, but that's usually a last resort.
You might also try contacting the tech company directly. Sometimes they can help regain access to accounts if you prove your identity.
We really want to understand what was going on with him, especially since he distanced himself from everyone. Hearing different angles on this helps us see the bigger picture.