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I'm confused. From what I understand apple has been doing this for some time. I even remember someone saying that apple did this many times before. Even if appl

I'm confused. From what I understand apple has been doing this for some time. I even remember someone saying that apple did this many times before. Even if apple isn't the one doing this, there are also plenty of people who are familiar with low level vulnerabilities of iPhones that can essentially do the same tasks.

bmelton 11y ago
Apple has not done "this" before. Apple may have unlocked phones for older models (with less security), but with the upgrades to iOS for versions 5 and 6, this is a much different ask. The FBI is hoping to have Apple develop a new iOS that does not automatically wipe the device after <x> invalid password attempts, then use their signing keys to push a deployment of that operating system onto this specific phone. Nobody else has access to Apple's signing keys, ergo nobody has the ability to do this on Apple's behalf.
- gravypod 11y ago
  Yes but they have unlocked phones before and they will conceivably continue to do it. It's not about the difficulty of the task, it is about the principle. I haven't heard of the FBI asking to get apple's keys before, but that is crazy.
  - bmelton 11y ago
    Ostensibly, they made the security increases in iOS to prevent from being able to comply with these types of requests, ensuring that their software was as secure as possible. Aside from that, a fourth amendment search or seizure cannot generally compel someone to open a door. The usual logic is that it allows agents entry; the trade-off of letting them in is that you don't have to replace your door after. This isn't a matter of standing aside while the agents effect the search, it's a whole different thing. Put into (what will assuredly be a bad) analogy, whereas a physical property search involves opening a door, or standing aside while the cops break down the door, this scenario is more akin to demanding that Apple build an entirely new house, one without doors, then removing the old building and installing the new building in its place so that the cops can enter.
pyrophane 11y ago
With devices running iOS 9 there are no known vulns that Apple or anyone else can exploit to unlock or get data off of a locked device. The government wants Apple to create a special, signed version of iOS that can be loaded onto iOS 9 devices that will allow it to bypass security measures designed to prevent brute-force unlock attempts and hopefully never fall into the wrong hands (because that would never happen, right?)

bmelton 11y ago

Apple has not done "this" before. Apple may have unlocked phones for older models (with less security), but with the upgrades to iOS for versions 5 and 6, this is a much different ask. The FBI is hoping to have Apple develop a new iOS that does not automatically wipe the device after <x> invalid password attempts, then use their signing keys to push a deployment of that operating system onto this specific phone. Nobody else has access to Apple's signing keys, ergo nobody has the ability to do this on Apple's behalf.

gravypod 11y ago
Yes but they have unlocked phones before and they will conceivably continue to do it. It's not about the difficulty of the task, it is about the principle. I haven't heard of the FBI asking to get apple's keys before, but that is crazy.
- bmelton 11y ago
  Ostensibly, they made the security increases in iOS to prevent from being able to comply with these types of requests, ensuring that their software was as secure as possible. Aside from that, a fourth amendment search or seizure cannot generally compel someone to open a door. The usual logic is that it allows agents entry; the trade-off of letting them in is that you don't have to replace your door after. This isn't a matter of standing aside while the agents effect the search, it's a whole different thing. Put into (what will assuredly be a bad) analogy, whereas a physical property search involves opening a door, or standing aside while the cops break down the door, this scenario is more akin to demanding that Apple build an entirely new house, one without doors, then removing the old building and installing the new building in its place so that the cops can enter.

pyrophane 11y ago

With devices running iOS 9 there are no known vulns that Apple or anyone else can exploit to unlock or get data off of a locked device. The government wants Apple to create a special, signed version of iOS that can be loaded onto iOS 9 devices that will allow it to bypass security measures designed to prevent brute-force unlock attempts and hopefully never fall into the wrong hands (because that would never happen, right?)