Just over a week ago, the FBI revealed that it had successfully unlocked the iPhone 5c used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen without the help of Apple. To this day, the FBI has not publicly disclosed the method it used to gain access, and it’s unclear if it ever will. The National Journal, however, reports today that the FBI has been briefing members of the Senate on how it was able to gain access to the locked iPhone.
The report notes that the FBI has already briefed Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) on how it unlocked the device, while Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) will also be briefed within the coming weeks. This is notable as those two are both working on a new bill that would limit the ability of technology companies like Apple to use strong encryption on consumer devices.
The Senate Intelligence Committee is believed to be working on a bill that would penalize companies that refused to decrypt user devices. The bill is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks and could be written as a modification to the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994. This law suggests that companies develop their communication systems so that law enforcement agencies are able to gain access with a proper court order. Burr and Feinstein – the two Senate members being briefed on the method used to unlock the iPhone 5c – are reportedly taking the lead on creating the bill.
Earlier today, the FBI said that it is still “too early” to say whether or not anything useful is actually on the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen. The organization also noted, however, that it may or may not make the end result public either.
While in the long run it’s unlikely that the FBI will formally reveal the method it used to gain access to the device, we have a feeling it’s also pretty unlikely that it will come out and publicly state that it found nothing interesting on the device.
Via The Verge
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Seriously, who voted for the idiots who want to pass those laws?
Anyone who supports Donald Trump; aka a TON of “US ‘Muricans”
It’s frightening; the amount of completely bat nutty ignorant people out there that don’t realize backdoors make us less safe.
I agree. It’s stupid to take the confrontational stance which the Federal government has done with Apple.
And it’s almost certainly the result of embarrassment at having been caught out spying on US citizens, when it had denied – repeatedly – that it was doing so. Obama’s government (and that of Bush, etc… before him) want security – but “not too much” security. They would prefer the keys to ALL security to remain in their “well-intentioned, competent” hands…
Angela Merkel’s opening EU’s security gates to hoards of unknowns is based on a similar, if older guilt – a form of guilt which neither would today admit; and of which they’re likely quite unaware.
As for the “nutty ignorance” of those ‘scary’ people who might just be in government next time around – it seems to me, on the far periphery of the US’s awareness, that they are just a product of a government which allows – in some cases, encourages – rubbish to be taught in schools as ‘science’.
When the young are fed, from an early age, the concept that prayer can be a strategy for real learning; or part of the solution to real challenges, they can never fully recover.
When the world’s education systems become what they profess to be – a way of preparing humans to soar intellectually; and to tackle life’s problems, in a rational way, ignorance in high office will become a thing of the past.
I wonder if it was a lock screen bypass. There are some that work straight from boot.
I wonder what would happen if apple stopped selling iPhones on the states that pass those privacy violating laws?
They’d immediately change the laws because everyone wants iPhones more than backdoors, including those morons at the FBI and justice department.
Given the leaks that come out from Congressional aides, anonymously of course, the public will know soon enough what tactic the FBI used.
Like people in congress understand anything they’re being briefed on. They clearly demonstrated that during the House hearings. /s
They don’t even read the bills they vote for most of the time. It’s pretty sad.
In their defense the bills are a trillion pages of bullshit for loopholes. A loophole in a bill is similar to a backdoor in software. All of them want it, but they’re struggling to get the back doors. Whereas they get the loopholes easily. Of course, the loopholes are paid for by cooperations, etc. Basically the world and government is an embarrassing corrupt piece of trash.
Anyone that thinks the FBI actually needed Apple’s help to unlock this phone is an idiot. This was not about any one phone this was about the precedent the courts would have set if they had ruled in favor of the FBI and forced Apple to cooperate. Fuck their attempts to subvert the right to privacy.
This sounds about right.
Apple not informed: cannot be trusted.
A small number of trusted legislators informed to assist them in drafting new law.
This current situation where Apple deliberately and irresponsibly blocks law enforcement access (with warrant) – yet at the same time we have multiple foul ups where any crook could gain access – is bad at every level.
If Apple continues to act irresponsibly to sell a few more phones then there will need to be legislation which obliges them to provide access when a request is presented (ONLY with a court order). That then needs to be implemented securely – not via the latest ridiculous weakness in Apple’s security that law enforcement exploit, but so could anyone else who finds it.
It’s sad, but Apple is now part of the problem not part of the solution. In the same way we have to have laws to deal with citizens who behave badly we also need laws to deal with greedy corporations who behave irresponsibly to hike profits. No matter how rich and powerful they have become, Apple cannot be above the law.
I feel so bad for you. You are so naive and have no concept of the fact that nearly all of the US governing bodies are completely corrupt and are paid to write loopholes in laws and steer the wheel for big corporations and ‘influencers’ that want their interests protected. It’s sad how unintelligent people are.
It’s a big circle of interested parties buying their congressman, senators, and presidents, (as well as much further down the chain), and getting them elected through enormous donations to market their product (their purchased representative) to the insurmountable ignorance and unintelligent masses of the American people.
Anyone voting for Hilary Clinton, congratulations you are being laughed at hysterically behind the scenes for your stupidity.
You’re right about one thing, Apple and other corporations are greedy and can’t be above the law, but they’re greedy because of they’re beholden to the shareholders which care only about money because they are humans which are 100% anonymous and thus don’t have to pretend to care about the wellbeing of others, etc., and because captialism is a system which supports greed as opposed to keeping it in check.
Considering the government has been lying to its citizens for years about its data collection practices on its own citizens, I think you’re a total and complete moron. It sounds like you need to live in a country like North Korea or China. I’ll help you pack your bags and buy you a one way ticket.
Oh, and you might try reading the U.S. Constitution. Apparently you know nothing about it.
“This is notable as those two are both working on a new bill that would limit the ability of technology companies like Apple to use strong encryption on consumer devices.”
And – in one sentence – we can see what’s so very wrong about our government: We’re going to introduce bills that prohibit American Technology from progressing . . . unless we can break it at our will, in the dark, and never even reveal what we find.
The grand old US of A is royally F**KED UP!
To be honest… anyone voting for a law that reduces strong encryption… i wish them to be hacked on day one this passes.
I wish for them to be hacked on day one and all of their embarrassing nudes and the scandals that will come about, make them lose their jobs and go into extreme depression.
There was clearly nothing on the phone… Who would be stupid enough to contact people on an iPhone doing what they were doing on unencrypted and non-password protected chat apps and stuff like that. It’s not like you’re gonna find master plans in the messages app and schematics in the photos app… (I wouldn’t think anyway)
The FBI could claim they did it with Magic and Prayer and most of these mental midgets would believe them.
Let me guess – Apple will now want the gov’t to help it understand how they broke into it’s phone? HA!
Like Apple doesn’t know or can’t pay for the information from that firm the FBI used.