Posted on 03/14/2016 8:47:42 AM PDT by dennisw
The FBI could demand that Apple turns over its source code and private key to the iPhone's operating system, the Justice Dept. implied in its latest filing against the tech giant.
The government's response aims to target a critical argument made by Apple -- that compelling the company to rewrite its iOS software to remove security features in order to allow federal agents to bypass the passcode on the San Bernardino shooter's phone would be overly "burdensome."
"The government did not seek to compel Apple to turn those over because it believed such a request would be less palatable to Apple," said federal prosecutors in a footnote in its March 10 filing. "If Apple would prefer that course, however, that may provide an alternative that requires less labor by Apple programmers."
Some case watchers saw the citation as more indicative of a threat than a technological suggestion.
A Justice Dept. spokesperson said the agency will "let the filing speak for itself," but added the citation in question was an alternative, rather than a position taken.
By its own admission, the Justice Dept. set this precedent in its 2013 case against Lavabit, the encrypted email provider said to have been used by whistleblower Edward Snowden.
"I think [the government] is setting up the possibility of demanding the key and the source code," said Lavabit founder Ladar Levison, speaking on the phone.
Levison drew parallels between his case and the fight that Apple currently has on its hands.
He too was compelled by the government to provide "technical assistance" to help the FBI install a pen register device to obtain metadata on an Lavabit account -- thought to be Snowden's but that was never formally confirmed as the case remains under seal. Levison forcibly shut down his encrypted email service after federal agents later demanded that he turn over his master encryption key, which he said would give agents access to every one of his customers' data.
"It's rather disturbing that the government is relying on the authority they obtained by railroading a small business in a secret court proceeding to justify demanding the key from Apple now," he said.
If you care about data security when your phone is locked, Android is not secure, don't get one. If you do care, get Apple because Apple is secure. If Apple gives up their IP, then it will be just as insecure as Android.
The Android Samsung phones were keeping their keys to their vaunted Knox security in an unencrypted text file in a library outside of the encrypted areas, which was easily findable on their phones. . . this was discovered just three weeks after the US Government certified them for use in holding top secret data. LOL!
That being said, there are third party 256 AES encryption apps to protect your files for Android. However, Android phones are inherently less safe than iOS as there are over 4,000,000 malware out in the wild for Android. Keep your new Android OS updated as soon as a new one comes out and you may be OK. The latest malware to come out can spread by just being sent to you on a message.
Don't believe that crap, RTV. There's no truth behind that. Every expert who had looked at what Apple has created here says it is not possible for the government to break it. There are no "backdoors" into iOS. . . and 256 bit AES is simply not breakable in anything less than more than astronomical time frames.
The demand for encryption ONLY to EVADE WARRANTS is small.
And that is the only distinction between the products.
There will still be a huge legitimate market for the strongest encryption.
Is there any anti-virus software for these phones.
I have that on my computer, why not on my phone ..??
Well, I cannot afford an iPhone .. so I guess I’ll do without a better phone.
John McAfee said he could assemble a team of the hacker elite who could hack open this terrorists iPhone in three weeks . And he is right. Especially if the password is 4-6 characters.
I'm sorry, but it is not a democrat or republican thing. The Feral Government has been living up to its namesake far longer than obama's regime.
BTW, I believe the trademark on the term "Feral Government" goes back a long way. :-) I made a post I still have on a BBS 2 days before the OKC bombing that used the term.
Amen. A 'safe' world, is a world not living in.
MY PREDICTION: The Apple bois holed up in Cupertino will soon be jumping around like Mexican jumping beans. And jumping over to the US Department of Justice pleading to spill their guts on hacking open this terrorists iphone so they won’t be facing prison terms.
Too bad the FBI botched this in the beginning as far as changing the pass code. Idiots!
And that’s the truth!!!!
Given enough time, expertise and “unlimited resources” (can you say taxpayer) it has been done.
There is for Android phones, no need for it on iOS devices.
Buy a used iPhone 5S. They can be had for what you will be paying for that Samsung S6.
McAfee admitted he didn't know what he was talking about after looking at the protections built-in to the iPhones. He thought they were all in software when he made that braggadocio claim. He admitted he was completely wrong.
First paragraph is just more of your patented lies, Baron Dennis Von Munchausen
Second paragraph, is, surprisingly, true.
I cry for the loss of freedom willfully supported by the people who’s freedom is being taken away. They will donate and generate a few hundred million dollars during this cycle to prop up and elect the people that want to take them down. The Jews are now driving and fueling the train that is driving them to the chambers..
No, you're wrong, because it has to be done anew, each time, on each iPhone unless Apple rewrites the source code. If the NSA had done so, under the sharing of resources required under the DHS, they would not be doing it via court order to Apple.
Exactly!
Well, Samsun is offering the phone FREE; and the monthly cost for the Data/text/voice is half what I am already paying for just voice.
So, unless the phone is FREE .. I’m not in any position right now to purchase any type of phone. I’m actually trying to whittle down my monthly outgo.
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