I AM SO FUCKING MAD RIGHT NOW. What is even more fucking bonkers than this fucking letter is the disgusting responses to this letter, specifically due to misleading headlines on the LA Times article: "Why Apple is battling investigators over San Bernardino terrorists' iPhone" This has less to do with terrorists and everything to do with APPLE PROVIDING A FUCKING BACKDOOR INTO YOUR IPHONE, MY IPHONE, YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S IPHONE, YOUR 9 YEAR OLD CHILD'S IPHONE. Top comments on the LA Times article include: "This is treaonous bullshit. Apple appears to be supporting terrorism. Save your privacy poppycock. There may be clues to an ongoing conspiracy in that phone that might save the life of a family member or you. Hate government? Join the Bundys." "Shame on Apple! The war against terrorism is world wide. Whose side is Apple on? Does Tim Cook want to see more dead Americans like the innocent people who lost their lives in San Bernardino?" Are you fucking kidding me? The terrorist angle is simply there to instill fear and deception. Don't fall for the bait. Shame on you LA Times and others and ignorant commenters who are willing to neget privacy and security in order to "stop terrorism". How many times are we going to fall into this fucking trap?
Infamy and ignorance driving page-views. It's a solid model, tried and true.
I don't understand how there is currently no backdoor if building an alternate operating system would permit them access to encrypted data on this individual phone. It sounds like the actual security at this point doesn't come from strong encryption, but from restrictions around the install of a new iOS. That is, an OS installed by Apple can circumvent encryption on the phone. This would mean that Apple does have a backdoor. My guess is that a new install can remove the brute force protections. EDIT: Here is a nice overview that suggests that because it is an iPhone 5C, this is possible, however, it wouldn't be with an iPhone 6.Specifically, the FBI wants us to make a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation. In the wrong hands, this software — which does not exist today — would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession.
If the San Bernardino gunmen had used an iPhone with the Secure Enclave, then there is little to nothing that Apple or the FBI could have done to guess the passcode. However, since the iPhone 5C lacks a Secure Enclave, nearly all of the passcode protections are implemented in software by the iOS operating system and, therefore, replaceable by a firmware update.
The gist of it is in this part: The backdoor here isn't Apple giving the NSA the passwords - it's allowing them to hook input up to a brute force system and allow unlimited tries. They still might not guess the password though.The government would have us remove security features and add new capabilities to the operating system, allowing a passcode to be input electronically. This would make it easier to unlock an iPhone by “brute force,” trying thousands or millions of combinations with the speed of a modern computer.
My guess is that a new install can remove the brute force protections. I don't understand why the FBI is demanding that Apple do this. I feel like if the government wants to hack it - go for it. Hack away. It is not Apple's (or insert any other company here) job to invade people's lives. I'm pretty happy that Timmy boy is flexing his muscles like this.That is, an OS installed by Apple can circumvent encryption on the phone. This would mean that Apple does have a backdoor.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/01/21/nsa-leaker-edward-snowden-refuses-to-use-apples-iphone-over-spying-concerns---report This is Apple not allowing the FBI to do what they've allowed the NSA to do since 2012 or before. Before you get too pat-on-the-back-ey, recognize that they're making a big show of standing up in public when in private they rolled over without so much as a whine.Apple was one of the first companies accused of participation in the NSA's PRISM data mining initiative, following Snowden's release of hundreds of classified NSA documents. The PRISM project is said to have involved the extraction of "audio, video, photographs, e-mails, documents and connection logs that enable analysts to track a person's movements and contacts over time."
I can relate I'll take a late change of heart to no change of heart. Or maybe he's just lying through his teeth and telling the masses what they want to hear whilst secretly stashing the dick pics of college kids everywhere... I'll hope for the former.recognize that they're making a big show of standing up in public when in private they rolled over without so much as a whine.
Sure, but I'd rather the symbolic gestures be genuine, rather than Apple trying to save face in front of the public. As it stands now, I don't trust Apple any more than I did before this post, I just know that they're not selling my privacy this once. It doesn't mean anything when they're already selling it in other ways.
You shouldn't trust Apple. You should trust that Apple doesn't want to get caught willingly collaborating with the intelligence community against its users again, as since it has become widely known that American tech companies collaborate with American intelligence agencies customers overseas have been looking for alternatives, as if tech companies in every country didn't collaborate with their countries' intelligence agencies because while you can slam the door in the faces of the guys with all the guns, you can't expect it to work. They put up a token resistance to salvage some of their reputation, but in the process reinforce that this is a thing that should be resisted, and they have a big enough mouthpiece that that isn't nothing.
> however, it wouldn't be with an iPhone 6. He didn't make that distinction in his letter. aside: I don't think secure computing is possible unless you roll your own molecules. (not sure). Ultimately you are doing math when encrypting and the machine may lie to you. The CPU is the ultimate "man" in the middle.
For some perspective, Shane Harris reported today that Apple has unlocked phones for the authorities on 70 occasions since 2008. Which is to say, it's possible that TIm Cook's statement is a public relations maneuver in a high-profile case. But, hey - if this motivates Apple to draw the line and take a stand against building tunnels into people's private lives, that's great.
I just saw this: No, Apple Has Not Unlocked 70 iPhones For Law Enforcement
But if they have changed their encryption techniques in recent versions of the iPhone's OS and hardware, then it might not now be possible for them to comply with an order that, in previous versions, may have been feasible on a one-off basis. In other words, perhaps the newer security measures they've introduced make it unfeasible to decrypt the phone without fundamental changes to the OS that would introduce a backdoor to everyone's iPhone, and maybe this wasn't always the case. I don't know whether this is true - can any Apple experts cast light on this?
from politico: “I agree 100 percent with the courts. In that case, we should open it up,” the Republican presidential candidate told “Fox & Friends,” referring to a court order demanding the California-based tech company create a way for federal investigators to break into the iPhone of one of the perpetrators of the Dec. 2 terrorist attack. “I think security, overall, we have to open it up and we have to use our heads. We have to use common sense,” Trump continued, echoing his recent common refrain. “Somebody the other day called me a common-sense conservative. We have to use common sense.” As if any of you needed more reasons to vote for the donald....Donald Trump slammed Apple on Wednesday for its refusal to cooperate with federal authorities in the investigation of one of the iPhones of the San Bernardino shooters.