Russia Uses Banned Technology to Steal Data

俄羅斯使用禁令技術竊取數據

Jun 25, 2026, 13:25
EuropeTechnology

Introduction

A university group found that the Russian government used a company's tools to steal data from a man's phone. The company, Cellebrite, said they stopped working with Russia.

一個大學研究小組發現俄羅斯政府使用一家公司的工具，從一名男子的手機中竊取數據。該公司 Cellebrite 表示他們已停止與俄羅斯合作。

Main Body

Police arrested Andrey Pivovarov in May 2021. They took his iPhone and MacBook. They used Cellebrite tools to read his private messages on WhatsApp and Telegram. They used this information to start a criminal case against him.

警方於 2021 年 5 月逮捕了 Andrey Pivovarov。他們拿走了他的 iPhone 和 MacBook，並使用 Cellebrite 的工具讀取他在 WhatsApp 和 Telegram 上的私密訊息。他們利用這些資訊對他提起刑事訴訟。

Cellebrite said they stopped all sales to Russia in March 2021. The company says their old tools do not work with new phones. But the university group says the tools still work. The company cannot stop the government from using the old machines.

Cellebrite 表示他們自 2021 年 3 月起已停止所有對俄羅斯的銷售。公司聲稱其舊工具不適用於新手機，但大學研究小組表示這些工具仍然有效。公司無法阻止政府使用舊機器。

This problem happens in other countries too. Some governments in Africa and Asia still use these tools. Experts say companies must find a way to turn off the machines from far away.

這個問題在其他國家也同樣發生。非洲和亞洲的一些政府仍在利用這些工具。專家表示，公司必須找到一種能夠遠端關閉這些機器的方法。

Conclusion

Companies cannot control their tools after they sell them. Governments can still use the machines even after the contract ends.

公司在銷售工具後便無法控制。即使合約結束，政府仍能繼續使用這些機器。

Vocabulary Learning

🛠️ The 'Action' Words (Past Tense)

In this story, everything already happened. To talk about the past, we often just add -ed to the end of the word.

  • Stop →\rightarrow Stopped
  • Use →\rightarrow Used
  • Arrest →\rightarrow Arrested

Wait! Some words are 'rebels' and change completely:

  • Take →\rightarrow Took
  • Find →\rightarrow Found
  • Say →\rightarrow Said

📱 Tech Words for Your Daily Life

If you want to reach A2, you need to describe your gadgets. Look at these words from the text:

  1. Tools: Things that help you do a job.
  2. Data: Information (like names or photos) inside a computer.
  3. Private: Something only for you, not for everyone.

💡 Quick Tip: 'Can' vs 'Cannot'

Use can for things that are possible, and cannot (or can't) for things that are impossible.

  • Example: "The company cannot stop the government." →\rightarrow (It is impossible for them to stop it).

Vocabulary Learning

banned (adj.)
Not allowed by a law or a rule
Example:Smoking is banned inside the hospital.
government (n.)
The group of people who control a country
Example:The government is making a new law about schools.
arrested (v.)
When the police take someone to the police station
Example:The police arrested the man for stealing a car.
private (adj.)
Only for one person or group; not for everyone to see
Example:I have a private conversation with my friend.
criminal (adj.)
Related to a crime or breaking the law
Example:The police are looking for the criminal case.
experts (n.)
People who know a lot about a specific subject
Example:Computer experts can fix the broken software.
control (v.)
To have the power to make something happen
Example:You can control the volume of the TV with a remote.
contract (n.)
A legal agreement between two people or companies
Example:I signed a contract for my new job.
Practice A2 words in a crossword→