Apple (Tim Cook) vs the FBI, who's right and who's wrong?

[merman]

It still feels like heavy-handed tactics from the FBI, and I'm glad Apple is taking a stand.

[Antiriad2097]

Taking a stand, or protecting their profits? I'd bet its the latter that brought the former. With so many weirdly touchy on the 'privacy' subject, business would take at least a temporary dive if they just gave up the goods. I can't see the government adequately compensating for that.

[merman]

Taking a stand, or protecting their profits? I'd bet its the latter that brought the former. With so many weirdly touchy on the 'privacy' subject, business would take at least a temporary dive if they just gave up the goods. I can't see the government adequately compensating for that.

Apple have refused multiple requests to access phone or tablet data in the last year. This case is high profile because of the "terrorism" angle.

Instead of chasing the computer companies, the FBI should be chasing the people who sold the guns used in the attack....

[Antiriad2097]

Apple have refused multiple requests to access phone or tablet data in the last year.

That doesn't change their reason for refusal from one of profit.

[psj3809]

Dont see what the uproar is about, they can easily get someone else to unlock it...

http://newsthump.com/2016/02/24/rav-at- ... e-for-fbi/

[Nemesis]

Apple have refused multiple requests to access phone or tablet data in the last year.

That doesn't change their reason for refusal from one of profit.

It's not just about profit, it only is if you're cynical enough to believe that there's no other reason.

Here's an exert from an interview with mobile security expert Jon Case;

Speaking to the situation in general, Case says that the FBI isn't really asking for a special version of iOS, but rather a "specialized custom part" that handles the decryption and the lockscreen. It's "a bit of a stretch on Apple's part" to call it a backdoor, he says, and creating it wouldn't take a lot of work, but "it is pretty dangerous."

"The primary reason is the precedent," he responds when asked why it's dangerous. "[Apple is] going to have every department in the US asking for unlocked phones. Other countries are going to ask for it, too. It's not going to stop at one phone. It's going to put people at risk and data at risk. We know forensic devices have been abused by law enforcement in the past. If they let it go wild, it's going to get abused."

[Sel Feena]

^ Yeah exactly this. It's only sensible to have a healthy distrust of government in general tbh, they've got previous.

[Antiriad2097]

Meh.

[HalcyonDaze00]

FBI have broke into the phone without the need for Apple to help

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35914195

I was always convinced that the FBI (and the CIA, NSA, Mossad, and all the rest) could break into whatever phone they wanted anyway, but it's nice to see confirmation.

now watch the hysterics from the loony left and terrorist sympathisers.

[Matt_B]

FBI have broke into the phone without the need for Apple to help

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35914195

I was always convinced that the FBI (and the CIA, NSA, Mossad, and all the rest) could break into whatever phone they wanted anyway, but it's nice to see confirmation.

now watch the hysterics from the loony left and terrorist sympathisers.

There's no hysterics from me, as it's a win-win situation.

The FBI get into this phone for the information they need, and Apple don't have to provide a back door into every phone they ever make so nobody else's privacy is needlessly compromised.

[merman]

FBI have broke into the phone without the need for Apple to help

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35914195

I was always convinced that the FBI (and the CIA, NSA, Mossad, and all the rest) could break into whatever phone they wanted anyway, but it's nice to see confirmation.

now watch the hysterics from the loony left and terrorist sympathisers.

There's no hysterics from me, as it's a win-win situation.

The FBI get into this phone for the information they need, and Apple don't have to provide a back door into every phone they ever make so nobody else's privacy is needlessly compromised.

Only if it's a technique that cannot be repeated by hackers.
It's still unclear whether the Israeli company offering help was involved - but if they were, there is always a chance of a leak leading to problems for every iPhone owner.

[Matt_B]

FBI have broke into the phone without the need for Apple to help

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35914195

I was always convinced that the FBI (and the CIA, NSA, Mossad, and all the rest) could break into whatever phone they wanted anyway, but it's nice to see confirmation.

now watch the hysterics from the loony left and terrorist sympathisers.

There's no hysterics from me, as it's a win-win situation.

The FBI get into this phone for the information they need, and Apple don't have to provide a back door into every phone they ever make so nobody else's privacy is needlessly compromised.

Only if it's a technique that cannot be repeated by hackers.
It's still unclear whether the Israeli company offering help was involved - but if they were, there is always a chance of a leak leading to problems for every iPhone owner.

If it can be repeated by hackers, at least Apple are free to patch it out in the next release as is the case with every other security hole they've found out about.

That's a far cry from a government-mandated back door that they must maintain at all times, and I'm relieved to see the FBI dropping a case that they could well have pushed ahead with anyway if that was the outcome that they really wanted.