Apple and the FBI password search.....

[gus-lopez]

I'd like to thank Gromett for his time and patience in explaining a lot of the issues in this case. This thread is one of the most interesting and informative I have read on here for a long time.

+1 Very informative.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

If Apple hadn't been so far up their own backsides, though, they could have kept the code in house so that any future access would have had to have had a sound case made for it. Aren't Apple clever?

And if the FBI hadn't been incompetent and made the local law enforcement change the iCloud password for the device without checking with anyone this would have been a non story because they could have made the phone back up and accessed what they needed from there. Aren't the FBI clever?

 

[Deleted member 29692]

There will be nothing whatsoever of any use on the device.

There's one glaring reason that's been ignored so far that leads me to this conclusion:

The phone in question was a "work" phone issued by the San Bernadino Dept for Public Health, who the person worked for. The iTunes/iCloud account for the phone was controlled and managed by the department. Does anyone really believe that Farook, or anyone else, would do anything remotely incriminating on such a device.

Their own personal phones on the other hand would probably have been worth a look. They destroyed these themselves before they carried out the attacks. They weren't worried about doing the same thing to the "work" phones though.

Does that not tell you something?

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Hallelujah. .. I'm happy that the FBI gained access to the phone. Let's hope they can now use that knowledge to legally access any other phones they want.
All those on this thread advocating the total security that people apparently need above and beyond the security of their country must be slightly upset (or worried).
I am a little suprised though that people think that a criminal (any criminal) should be above the law of the land.
As for searching a phone being a fishing exercise. Of course it is. As is any search warrant. You just have to persuade the relevant authority that theres a likelihood of evidence being found.
Hopefully there's a few pedophiles, fraudsters and drug dealers in the US worried now.

Nope, nobody will be in the slightest bit concerned.

All that will happen now is that anyone with anything incriminating on their device, whether it be Apple, Android or anything else, will simply add PGP based second level encryption to their device which, as was discussed earlier in the thread, is unbreakable.

If the FBI had gone about this quietly and professionally without making such a public fuss nobody would have been any the wiser.

All they've achieved now is to ensure that the next time this happens and they get access to whatever device it happens to be they will run straight into PGP encryption and that will be the end of that.

Read back through the thread if you don't know what PGP is or understand how it works. Encryption apps for mobile devices range from free to cheap and as long as they are implemented properly are completely unbreakable.

I'm glad you're happy for the FBI. All they've done is made sure the criminals will be more secure from now on and made their own jobs a lot harder for the future.

 

[DBK]

If I understand it correctly, the means of getting access to the phone data was available and known to some technicians before the FBI started its case against Apple. The method would be unwieldy and time consuming, but not essentially difficult.

If that is correct, the rationale for the FBI's approach must have been to get the widespread access that Gromett and others warn about, not just accessing that one phone. I don't like Apple's approach as a company (but I do like their kit) but in this case I'm with Gromett in supporting Apple.

I think the Israeli company, if it was them, had previously accessed earlier versions of iOS but this phone had the latest version I believe with enhanced security features. So it was a first I think but there may indeed have been more to the agenda.

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[GJH]

Aren't the FBI clever?

Of course not - they're American Like the Apple chiefs

 

[sdc77]

If the FBI had gone about this quietly and professionally without making such a public fuss nobody would have been any the wiser.

No .. you can't quietly and professional ask apple to help you can you.. that's been shown not to work.. and if you did the latest "rent a solicitor" would shout foul.
Unless you're suggesting the fbi should be outside of the law and illegally access the phone.
Pgp encryption isn't new and was already available and being used.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

No .. you can't quietly and professional ask apple to help you can you.. that's been shown not to work..

I take it you have a documented example of Apple being asked to do something they could have legally done but refused to and this isn't just another silly little anti-Apple dig?

Unless you're suggesting the fbi should be outside of the law and illegally access the phone.

It wouldn't by any means be the first time the FBI has acted outside the law.

Pgp encryption isn't new and was already available and being used.

But not very widely used on mobile devices. It will be now thanks to the FBI feeling the need to try and cover up their initial cock up by being heavy handed.

 

[sdc77]

I'm not sure why apple couldn't have done what the fbi asked via their court order. It wasn't illegal for them to provide that assistance.

Nice duck on the next point.. I take it that's a yes then.

Pgp encryption is available to anyone who wants it. Unless you're suggesting that terrorists and criminals were unaware of it which as you know is rubbish. Cartels have used it for years... and who's their main adversary.

Also I can't see what's wrong with having a little dig at Apple.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

@Gromett Article by a couple of researchers who've been carrying out the same exercise on a variety of Android devices.

http://www.iflscience.com/technology/what-if-fbi-tried-crack-android-phone-we-attacked-one-find-out

Quite interesting.

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