Blackphone 2 manufacturer bricks black market devices with a software update

Silent Circle, the company behind the privacy-oriented Blackphone line of devices, has quietly issued an update to the Blackphone 2 whose only purpose appears to be disabling phones sold by third-party sellers. This comes shortly after the company sent out a press release stating their intent to combat unauthorized distributors of its devices.

In a statement, Silent Circle explained this move as a part of their efforts to stop the sale of counterfeit devices, which bear the Blackphone branding without the company’s authorization. Such devices may pose a particular ...