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Feds Force Suspect To Unlock An Apple iPhone X With Their Face
Forbes ^ | 9/30/18 | Thomas Brewster

Posted on 10/01/2018 6:59:16 AM PDT by LibWhacker

It finally happened. The feds forced an Apple iPhone X owner to unlock their device with their face.

A child abuse investigation unearthed by Forbes includes the first known case in which law enforcement used Apple Face ID facial recognition technology to open a suspect's iPhone. That's by any police agency anywhere in the world, not just in America.

It happened on August 10, when the FBI searched the house of 28-year-old Grant Michalski, a Columbus, Ohio, resident who would later that month be charged with receiving and possessing child pornography. With a search warrant in hand, a federal investigator told Michalski to put his face in front of the phone, which he duly did. That allowed the agent to pick through the suspect's online chats, photos and whatever else he deemed worthy of investigation.

The case marks another significant moment in the ongoing battle between law enforcement and tech providers, with the former trying to break the myriad security protections put in place by the latter. Since the fight between the world's most valuable company and the FBI in San Bernardino over access to an iPhone in 2016, Forbes has been tracking the various ways cops have been trying to break Apple's protections.

First came multiple cases in which suspects were told to unlock iPhones with their fingerprints, via Apple's Touch ID biometric login. The same technique was then used on dead subjects.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: biometrics; break; facial; feds; iphone; password; privacy; protections; recognition; security; unlock
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To: LibWhacker

I’m getting ready to ditch my smartphone. This is one of the reasons why.


41 posted on 10/01/2018 8:13:50 AM PDT by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
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To: HamiltonJay

My wife and I have TouchID on our new laptop and love it! Very convenient, but unfortunately the security risks are there.


42 posted on 10/01/2018 8:17:16 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: Red Badger

Lord, don’t GET me started. This one’s not even close - it’s clear the person is MALE! Lazy English grammar is on my top 3 list of pet peeves.

#grumblegrumbleandgetoffmylawn


43 posted on 10/01/2018 8:24:49 AM PDT by jagusafr
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To: MeganC

I think that may be the smart move, for myself, too. I mean, it’s not just the feds who pose a risk. With these newest phones, couldn’t a thug conceivably beat you up, take your phone and drain your bank account before you could even get up and brush the dust off?


44 posted on 10/01/2018 8:30:13 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: LibWhacker

If a thug tries to take my phone they first have to get past the .45 I carry.


45 posted on 10/01/2018 8:42:17 AM PDT by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
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To: MeganC
I've GOT to get out of California. You know, it's illegal to own a blowgun out here?!
46 posted on 10/01/2018 8:49:23 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: LibWhacker

I think Oklahoma would be a great place to relocate. Don’t come To Texas, our weather is TERRIBLE...


47 posted on 10/01/2018 8:55:50 AM PDT by native texan (awaiting His return)
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To: LibWhacker

“I’ve GOT to get out of California. You know, it’s illegal to own a blowgun out here?!”

All the more reason to own one. They’ll never expect it.


48 posted on 10/01/2018 8:56:59 AM PDT by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
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To: Red Badger

At least it was xir, xey, or whatever.


49 posted on 10/01/2018 9:01:57 AM PDT by ro_dreaming (Chesterton, 'Christianity has not been tried and found wanting. It's been found hard and not tried')
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To: LibWhacker

If they get a warrant to get the I-phone does that mean that the suspect must help them find evidence?

I wonder if this would be a 5 amendment violation. A witness can remain silent, but does a witness or suspect have to help the investigator? If they wanted to get into his computer would the suspect be required to tell them the passwords? Is not helping considered to be obstruction?


50 posted on 10/01/2018 9:14:15 AM PDT by grumpygresh (Abolish administrative law. It's regressive, medieval and unconstitutional!)
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To: native texan

I’ve mentioned Texas to my wife, but she’s not having it! And the weather is a big factor.


51 posted on 10/01/2018 9:21:38 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: grumpygresh

I’m no lawyer by any means. But yes, I think that’s one of the big questions: How much does you have to cooperate before you’re getting into self-incrimination?


52 posted on 10/01/2018 9:24:55 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: LibWhacker
does you

DO you

53 posted on 10/01/2018 9:29:47 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: Red Badger
Hey, would a PHOTOGRAPH unlock the iPhone?...............

Or a close up video. Would appear more real.

54 posted on 10/01/2018 9:30:54 AM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: Red Badger

No, actually. The iPhone uses a “dot projection” 3D scanner to digitize your face. The face must actually have depth to unlock the phone. I guess a wax model might do...


55 posted on 10/01/2018 9:59:59 AM PDT by billakay
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To: neverevergiveup
Maybe a combination of face recognition or thumbprint AND a code would be better.

Agreed. Two-factor auth is much more secure than any single auth method.

What I would like, would be for my right fingerprint to wipe the phone, my left would erase it back to factory defaults.

56 posted on 10/01/2018 11:19:37 AM PDT by zeugma (Power without accountability is fertilizer for tyranny.)
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To: HamiltonJay

Do you have to use a biometric? Or can you stay with an alpha-numeric passcode?


57 posted on 10/01/2018 11:32:10 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: Fightin Whitey

Siamese twins brings up an interesting dilemma. If one commits the crime does that mean the other is complicit?


58 posted on 10/01/2018 11:39:48 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Consensus isn't science.)
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To: Rebelbase
Siamese twins...If one commits the crime does that mean the other is complicit?

As best I can tell you the great majority of the legal profession is as badly divided on this question as Siam.

59 posted on 10/01/2018 12:14:54 PM PDT by Fightin Whitey
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