Apple Says Apple ID Password on Shooter's iPhone Changed in Government Possession, Losing Access to Data

[MacRumors]

Shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion demanding Apple comply with an order to help it unlock the iPhone 5c of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook, Apple executives shared key information with several reporters, including BuzzFeed's John Paczkowski, about government missteps that may have led to reduced access to the iPhone in question.

According to Apple, the Apple ID password on the iPhone was changed "less than 24 hours" after being in government hands. Had the password not been altered, Apple believes the backup information the government is asking for could have been accessible to Apple engineers. The FBI has said it has access to weekly iCloud backups leading up to October 19, but not after that date, and it is seeking later information that could be stored on the device.

The executives said the company had been in regular discussions with the government since early January, and that it proposed four different ways to recover the information the government is interested in without building a back door. One of those methods would have involved connecting the phone to a known wifi network.

Apple sent engineers to try that method, the executives said, but the experts were unable to do it. It was then that they discovered that the Apple ID passcode associated with the phone had been changed.

Apple executives said the entire backdoor demand could have potentially been avoided if the Apple ID password not been changed, as connecting to a known Wi-Fi network would have caused the device to start backing up automatically so long as iCloud backups were enabled. Instead, with the information inaccessible, the FBI has requested tools that set what Apple calls a "dangerous precedent." The FBI wants a version of iOS that accepts electronic passcode input and removes passcode features like time limits and data erasure following failures.

Apple says the software would be the equivalent of a master key that could be used to access millions of devices (including Apple's newest iPhones and iPads) and has called the demand an "overreach" with chilling implications. Apple executives today also denied the DOJ's claim that the company's refusal to comply is a marketing tactic, saying it was done based on "love for the country" and "desire not to see civil liberties tossed aside."

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple Says Apple ID Password on Shooter's iPhone Changed in Government Possession, Losing Access to Data

 

[teslo]

'accidentally'? FBI thought could play checkers to Apple's chess here.

 

[Soni Sanjay]

So the FBI screwed up and Apple has to pay the price... Sigh.

 

[SeattleMoose]

This is the people/Tech Companies/Tim Cook vs the goons who call themselves our government. Stand fast on the tiller Mr. Cook, treacherous seas ahead!!!

Actually this whole thing is a good "shill test" of our congress and senate. Note carefully who votes for Big Brother and VOTE THEM OUT!!!

 

[apple supporter]

If you'd like to stand with Apple's stance on privacy, there is a White House petition at https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/apple-privacy-petition

 

[rick3000]

If true, the FBI just lost.

 

[apple supporter]

#WeStandWithApple

 

[Larry-K]

My tax dollar at work, guess they had "Top People" working on it.

Make the FBI stand in line at the Genius Bar, like everyone else.

 

[nicho]

So the FBI screwed up and Apple has to pay the price... Sigh.

The fbi blames the owner of the phone (the San Bernardino department of health) in the source article.

 

[Wowereit]

I don't care if it's just an excuse or the truth, but I'm cool with anything to stop this.

 

[teknikal90]

Conclusion:
The cloud is too damn complicated.

 

[Larry-K]

#WeStandWithApple

I'd sign it, but I'm afraid they'd violate my privacy.

 

[appleguy123]

Is Tim warning us that we should change our Apple passwords if our phones get into the police's hands? Seems like a warning to me.

 

[Art Mark]

This whole thing is so odd. And man, the comments section on the other article went to the wackos quickly. What I don't understand is Apple tired to help them, which I am certain any company would do in a situation like this. You'd do your best, right? And do it quietly. Then some folks drag the whole thing into court, and I can only think of one reason to do this and it has nothing to do with this phone and THIS case. It's a chance for the goons whether in the Govt or working for one of the many industrial sized military companies that farm out intelligence to the highest bidder. to try and make a case that none of us deserve to ever have any secrets from anyone anytime. But I would think with just one minute of thought a rational person would realize that if you build in a backdoor - everyone who wants access will have access. So security is gone, done. What the hell digital equipment would a Govt. employee even use? Ugh. This entire conversation drained down to the lowest common denominator quickly.

 

[carrrrrlos]

Change your password often.

 

[MacRumuer]

Hold up! So there is a way access data in the iPhone? **** that ****. Fix that bug Apple. I pay a lot of money for these reasons. Steve Jobs would never allow this to happen.

 

[mejsric]

This is the people/Tech Companies/Tim Cook vs the goons who call themselves our government.

Stand fast Tim!!! You are my hero!!!

Made me wonder what if Tim was not the CEO, since a lot of people asking him to step down.

Okey, what if Steve was here, what Steve could do?

 

[nicho]

From my understanding of this, Apple suggested creating an iCloud backup by taking the phone to a known wifi network, plugging it in and letting it do its thing. But because the password had been changed on the Apple ID, that wouldn't work - the password would need to be entered first (so that's now two things to crack. Yay).

Is this spin on apples part? The fbi say they have access to the backups up until 19 October. That means the only way that plan would have worked anyway was if he hadn't left the phone plugged in on a known wifi network for SIX WEEKS. Or, as the suggestion was in earlier articles, he deliberately disabled it, in which case this plan would not have worked.

I support Apple on this but this seems like using a get out of jail free card.

 

[bradl]

If true, the FBI just lost.

And Trump would have lost all credibility with his wanting everyone to boycott Apple because they aren't complying with the FBI.

Conclusion:
The cloud is too damn complicated.

And the Rent is still Too Damn High.

BL.

 

[Goatllama]

Tim Cat is not pleased.

 

[nicho]

Hold up! So there is a way access data in the iPhone? **** that ****. Fix that bug Apple. I pay a lot of money for these reasons. Steve Jobs would never allow this to happen.

Restoring an iCloud backup to another device, is what they are referring to

 

[Ron21]

Conclusion: Don't use Apple's iCloud backups! Backup only locally to an encrypted Mac

 

[gugy]

And the government wants us to believe we can trust them after they themselves screw it up. No thanks.
Keep it strong Apple!

 

[Rogifan]

Restoring an iCloud backup to another device, is what they are referring to

If iCloud backup was turned off in settings how does Apple get that data?

According to Guardian reporter Danny Yardon Apple says no other country has asked it to do what the DOJ/FBI is seeking.

 

[lolkthxbai]

Hold up! So there is a way access data in the iPhone? **** that ****. Fix that bug Apple. I pay a lot of money for these reasons. Steve Jobs would never allow this to happen.

I think what they were proposing was to have the phone connect to a known wifi network and leave it plugged into the charger so a backup of the phone would automatically be created (keep in mind, iCloud data has already been made available to the FBI, so it's safe to assume that this is what they meant by Apple having already cooperated in the days following the shooting) but now that the password was changed, you probably need to unlock the device and input the new password before the device can create a backup again. In short, your info is still safe. And if you don't trust iCloud then do your backups on your own machines like the good old days.