FBI admits it paid $1.3m to hack into San Bernardino shooter's iPhone

The hefty price paid for the software that hacked Syed Farook's iPhone, which Apple refused to help the FBI break into, signals a growing 'exploit market'

The Federal Bureau of Investigation paid about $1.3m for software to hack into the iPhone of San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook, FBI director James Comey told a London audience on Thursday.

The staggering price illustrates the growth of the so-called "exploit market" for digital spy tools and cyber weapons as governments increasingly use hacker tricks for law enforcement and war. Prices for such software are rarely disclosed, although anything in the seven-figure range is extremely expensive.