3 ms·

Apple says it can’t read your iMessages. What about everything else?

5 points by donohoe 13y ago

lawnchair_larry 13y ago
Yes they can, and so can law enforcement. This meme is dangerously misleading. All this says is that when the Agencies could previously tap cell phone communications without involving Apple, it would capture SMS. iPhones deliberately abstract whether SMS or "iMessage" is being used, so as a result, many "text messages" get routed through that service over a data connection. This means that all these messages are simply going through a channel that AT&T/Verizon/Sprint etc taps provide, and so they do not have visibility into them through those specific systems. They can still get them from Apple directly, and Apple can read them.
- LoganCale 13y ago
  > For example, conversations which take place over iMessage and FaceTime are protected by end-to-end encryption so no one but the sender and receiver can see or read them. Apple cannot decrypt that data. https://www.apple.com/apples-commitment-to-customer-privacy/ https://www.apple.com/apples-commitment-to-customer-privacy/
  - lawnchair_larry 13y ago
    Relevant: http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2013/06/how-to-backdoor-encryption-app.html http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2013/06/how-to-backd...
- throwaway10001 13y ago
  "They can still get them from Apple directly, and Apple can read them.* That's a direct lie from Apple, if you are right. Any proof? What about end-to-end encryption?
  - lawnchair_larry 13y ago
    Yes, that is a direct lie. You can prove it a few ways. When you add a new device, how is it possible that both devices get the unencrypted message? Secondly, if you didn't hear about the instances of misdirected iMessages, particularly when SIMs were swapped, google turns up several. Also, see this, which says the same things about the same memo: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130405/01485922590/dea-accused-leaking-misleading-info-falsely-implying-that-it-cant-read-apple-imessages.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130405/01485922590/dea-ac... Other useful info: http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2012/08/dear-apple-please-set-imessage-free.html http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2012/08/dear-apple-p... Basically it is not possible for that claim to be true in the technical sense and for iMessage to do the things that it does. Perhaps they mean in a "policy" sense, or some other nonsense spin everybody is engaged in lately.
aosmith 13y ago
Ha... Remember when iMessage went down for a day or two? The timelines just about match with apple joining prism, backdoor much?

5 points by donohoe 13y ago

Yes they can, and so can law enforcement. This meme is dangerously misleading. All this says is that when the Agencies could previously tap cell phone communications without involving Apple, it would capture SMS. iPhones deliberately abstract whether SMS or "iMessage" is being used, so as a result, many "text messages" get routed through that service over a data connection. This means that all these messages are simply going through a channel that AT&T/Verizon/Sprint etc taps provide, and so they do not have visibility into them through those specific systems. They can still get them from Apple directly, and Apple can read them.

LoganCale 13y ago
> For example, conversations which take place over iMessage and FaceTime are protected by end-to-end encryption so no one but the sender and receiver can see or read them. Apple cannot decrypt that data. https://www.apple.com/apples-commitment-to-customer-privacy/ https://www.apple.com/apples-commitment-to-customer-privacy/
- lawnchair_larry 13y ago
  Relevant: http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2013/06/how-to-backdoor-encryption-app.html http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2013/06/how-to-backd...
throwaway10001 13y ago
"They can still get them from Apple directly, and Apple can read them.* That's a direct lie from Apple, if you are right. Any proof? What about end-to-end encryption?
- lawnchair_larry 13y ago
  Yes, that is a direct lie. You can prove it a few ways. When you add a new device, how is it possible that both devices get the unencrypted message? Secondly, if you didn't hear about the instances of misdirected iMessages, particularly when SIMs were swapped, google turns up several. Also, see this, which says the same things about the same memo: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130405/01485922590/dea-accused-leaking-misleading-info-falsely-implying-that-it-cant-read-apple-imessages.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130405/01485922590/dea-ac... Other useful info: http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2012/08/dear-apple-please-set-imessage-free.html http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2012/08/dear-apple-p... Basically it is not possible for that claim to be true in the technical sense and for iMessage to do the things that it does. Perhaps they mean in a "policy" sense, or some other nonsense spin everybody is engaged in lately.

aosmith 13y ago

Ha... Remember when iMessage went down for a day or two? The timelines just about match with apple joining prism, backdoor much?