Sometimes it’s hard to tell if something is real or was dreamed up by a Batman villain. That’s the case with the WiSpear iPhone hacking van.

This tool supposedly can be used to install malware on an iOS or Android device from a third of a mile away.

WiSpear allegedly forces an iPhone to connect to its Wi-Fi access point. Then it uses man-in-the-middle attacks to snoop on the data being transferred to and from the iOS device. The company behind this hacking tool on wheels says it can install also malware on the device, according to Forbes.

Multiple computers can be attacked at once from the WiSpear. Allegedly, a users’ iPhone and Mac can be hacked simultaneously. Not to be left out, the hacking tool also works on Android-based phones.

WiSpear has limitations

It appears that hacking the phone or laptop requires it to be connected to a Wi-Fi access point. It seemingly can’t be used to access a device that’s not using Wi-Fi  at all.

A brief video shows the WiSpear on display at the ISS World and Eurosatory trade show:

Video: Thomas Fox-Brewster

WiSpear was developed by Tal Dilian,  former head of the Israeli Defense Forces signal intelligence corps. The surveillance tool with the van sells for between $3.5 million and $5 million. 

Although it has its own limitations, this hacking apparatus has much greater range than the widely-used GrayKey iPhone unlocker, which must be connected to the device’s Lightning port.