The latest iPhone leak is something that is always awaited every year, even to the point that there is a special community containing iPhone leakers. It turns out that not all leakers in this community are the same because there are leakers who work as double agents for Apple.
The leaker who is spying for Apple is named Andrey Shumeyko, who is known as 'YRH04E' in online forums. In an interview with Motherboard, Shumeyko revealed that he had been an informant for Apple since 2017.
Shumeyko initially sold internal information and stolen Apple products on platforms such as Twitter and Discord. Unbeknownst to other members of the leaker community, Shumeyko secretly provided information to Apple's Global Security team that could be used to stop the leak and find out who the leak was.
In May 2020, after the initial version of iOS 14 was leaked on the internet, Shumeyko admitted to providing information to Apple about the person who helped launch the leak by buying a stolen iPhone 11 prototype.
The device allegedly contained an early build of iOS 14 which was used for internal purposes by Apple employees, and the device fell into the hands of leakers long before iOS 14 was officially announced in June 2020.
Shumeyko also told how his role as an informant led to the dismissal of an Apple employee. In the summer of 2020, Shumeyko told Apple that he was in frequent contact with their employees in Germany who worked on Apple Maps.
Shumeyko accused the employee of trying to sell access to internal Apple accounts used by employees to log into email and the company's intranet. Shumeyko claimed to be in constant contact with the employee, and was later informed that the employee had been fired.
The reason Shumeyko became a spy for Apple was so he could make amends as a former member of the iPhone leaker community. He also hopes that this contribution can be reciprocated with financial incentives from Apple.
Shumeyko claimed to have several times asked for compensation from Apple for the information that had been provided. Because he never received the desired payment, Shumeyko then dared to speak to the media because he felt that he was being used by Apple.
After a year out of touch with the Global Security team, Shumeyko said he had broken up with Apple. He also returned to sell leaks and internal information Apple via Twitter.
"Not very happy to do this. But I also need some extra money. Unfortunately, I have more pressing issues to worry about besides Apple," said Shumeyko.
