In order to protect millions of devices, Apple wants to know the undisclosed security flaw.Last month when FBI, through the court order, asked for Apple’s assistance to unlock an iPhone, the tech giant openly refused. After the turn of events on Monday, the tech titan has landed on the receiving end of the assistance.
On Monday, the FBI disclosed that it has finally unlocked the iPhone 5C, which belonged to Syed Rizwan Farook – one of the shooters in San Bernardino attacks, without any form of assistance from the Cupertino, Calif. firm. The law enforcement agency did not disclose the identity of the outside third party that had assisted the FBI in doing the inevitable.
The agency hasn’t unveiled the extent of the information rendered from the smartphone. Nevertheless, the government’s breakthrough has put the iPhone maker into hot weathers as an unidentified security flaw could possibly put millions of devices at risk.
The product counsel at security software maker AVG Technologies, Justin Olsson, cited that Apple ought to find out the details about the recent security bypass. He added that the government could prudently solve the matter by secretly disclosing the products vulnerability to the tech company so that it can bolster up the security of its devices.
The government is obviously not following this suit. In such situations, generally, the government quite often buys or creates the hacking techniques for counterterrorism efforts and law enforcement in order to use them without informing the affected companies.
What secludes the matter from the rest is the amount of popularity it has received. Majority of people across the world have been following the news when in late February, the government made it public that it is in dire need of Apple’s assistance to unlock the phone in order to fill the void it has in its timeline of criminals activities. When Apple rejected to provide such assistance, tension broke out between the Washington and the Silicon Valley.
Both parties exchanged harsh comments during the hearings that, at times, heated. Now since the FBI had achieved for what it was seeking out Apple’s help and had dropped the case, the question remains whether the company could be informed about the inherent vulnerability or should the government use it as a scapegoat for the fighting against the crime.
It is still unknown whether the current method could potentially hack into other versions of the iPhone; the government hasn’t said anything about it as such. An anonymous law enforcement official has cited the “FBI’s hacking techniques’ applications were limited.”
Several news outlets have also cited anonymous sources forwarding the information that the Israeli police technology maker, Cellebrite had been the outside third party helping the government but the FBI and the Israeli company haven’t confirmed the specs.
An unauthorized source has disclosed to The Times that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was provided with 10 guesses for the passwords without permanently tarnishing the accessibility of the phone’s data. This gave the chance to the agency to go through possible pass codes until it finally get the correct one.
Apple’s attorneys are still on the lookout for the legal precedents, which can put the pressure on the government to turn over the specifics of the hacking techniques. As of Tuesday, the company had no update on its progress.
On Monday, the FBI disclosed that it has finally unlocked the iPhone 5C, which belonged to Syed Rizwan Farook – one of the shooters in San Bernardino attacks, without any form of assistance from the Cupertino, Calif. firm. The law enforcement agency did not disclose the identity of the outside third party that had assisted the FBI in doing the inevitable.
The agency hasn’t unveiled the extent of the information rendered from the smartphone. Nevertheless, the government’s breakthrough has put the iPhone maker into hot weathers as an unidentified security flaw could possibly put millions of devices at risk.
The product counsel at security software maker AVG Technologies, Justin Olsson, cited that Apple ought to find out the details about the recent security bypass. He added that the government could prudently solve the matter by secretly disclosing the products vulnerability to the tech company so that it can bolster up the security of its devices.
The government is obviously not following this suit. In such situations, generally, the government quite often buys or creates the hacking techniques for counterterrorism efforts and law enforcement in order to use them without informing the affected companies.
What secludes the matter from the rest is the amount of popularity it has received. Majority of people across the world have been following the news when in late February, the government made it public that it is in dire need of Apple’s assistance to unlock the phone in order to fill the void it has in its timeline of criminals activities. When Apple rejected to provide such assistance, tension broke out between the Washington and the Silicon Valley.
Both parties exchanged harsh comments during the hearings that, at times, heated. Now since the FBI had achieved for what it was seeking out Apple’s help and had dropped the case, the question remains whether the company could be informed about the inherent vulnerability or should the government use it as a scapegoat for the fighting against the crime.
It is still unknown whether the current method could potentially hack into other versions of the iPhone; the government hasn’t said anything about it as such. An anonymous law enforcement official has cited the “FBI’s hacking techniques’ applications were limited.”
Several news outlets have also cited anonymous sources forwarding the information that the Israeli police technology maker, Cellebrite had been the outside third party helping the government but the FBI and the Israeli company haven’t confirmed the specs.
An unauthorized source has disclosed to The Times that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was provided with 10 guesses for the passwords without permanently tarnishing the accessibility of the phone’s data. This gave the chance to the agency to go through possible pass codes until it finally get the correct one.
Apple’s attorneys are still on the lookout for the legal precedents, which can put the pressure on the government to turn over the specifics of the hacking techniques. As of Tuesday, the company had no update on its progress.