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Maybe I'm confused - and I probably am having read it quickly. But if Apple could have helped them before the password change but won't after - really - what's the difference. Not that I'm saying that Apple should help the FBI. But how genuine is their statement? You're either going to break into someone's phone or not. What difference does it make if the password has been changed?
 
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If iCloud backup was turned off in settings how does Apple get that data?

I assume Apple stores previous backups up to 3 months back or so. So if you made a backup at any point from 3 months ago before turning it off, Apple could have access to the backup even if it was deleted.
[doublepost=1455927158][/doublepost]Off to change our Apple ID passwords!
 
If the stakes weren't so high in this case vis a vis our privacy and security from the government goons I would actually be laughing.

These guys are flailing everywhere. They keep screwing up, and then are trying every bit of pressure, misinformation and total FUD they can throw up against the wall. The government can't stand it when someone is smarter than them.
 
They only want that phones info, get it for them. what is more important privacy or life ?
 
Instead of Apple giving the FBI new backdoor code why doesn't the FBI give the phone to Apple and let Apple do what it can to get the data, if they can. This way, whatever is created is done by Apple and can be destroyed. The only issue I see with any compliance from Apple is that as soon as they submit, they will be served with thousands of court orders to do the same to other devices.
 
Maybe I'm confused - and I probably am having read it quickly. But if Apple could have helped them before the password change but won't after - really - what's the difference. Not that I'm saying that Apple should help the FBI. But how genuine is their statement? You're either going to break into someone's phone or not. What difference does it make if the password has been changed?
This isn't about getting into the phone it's about the iCloud backups.

What's on the phone that wouldn't be in the backups?

That's the million-dollar question.
 
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our government wants to roll back encryption and auto-wipe features so that only leaders and government employees can use them. i guess they're much, much stupider than i even imagined. the streissand effect don't got nothin on this.
ITS ONLY ONE PHONE, HOW MANY DIED... SMARTEN UP.... DON'T GET STUPID ON US
 
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This isn't about getting into the phone it's about the iCloud backups.

Well my question really still stands. What difference does changing the password make. If they're going to break into the account, they're going to break into the account.
 
Conclusion: Don't use Apple's iCloud backups! Backup only locally to an encrypted Mac :)

Serious question: does the iTunes backup password interface have the same brute force decryption prevention methods that iOS has baked in that are the problem here?
 
Maybe I'm confused - and I probably am having read it quickly. But if Apple could have helped them before the password change but won't after - really - what's the difference. Not that I'm saying that Apple should help the FBI. But how genuine is their statement? You're either going to break into someone's phone or not. What difference does it make if the password has been changed?
So, we know Apple cooperated with the FBI in the days following the attack. It was reportedly just iCloud backups that was handed over but now that the password was changed, the plan they had wasn't going to work. The plan was to have the phone connect to a known wifi network and connected to a charger so it could create a backup automatically, as it should. The the FBI could request the backup data without unlocking the phone. BUT, like I said, the password was changed. So now you HAVE TO unlock the phone and input the new password for the Apple ID before you can create a backup again. But that's the problem, we don't know the passcode. :)
 
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According to Guardian reporter Danny Yardon Apple says no other country has asked it to do what the DOJ/FBI is seeking.

Yet... You can be sure if Apple provides a backdoor for the US Government, every other country is going to want the same access.


As for accessing the iCloud backup if the password didn't change, I think the idea is that the FBI could try to do brute force attacks on that data or restore to a new iPhone without having to hack the original iPhone itself. But they changed the password on the apple ID and screwed themselves.
 
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Well my question really still stands. What difference does changing the password make. If they're going to break into the account, they're going to break into the account.
What apple is saying is if the password hadn't been changed they could have connected to a known wifi network and a backup would automatically have happened. My question is, if this guy turned off iCloud backup in settings what would they have been able to retrieve?
 
So, we know Apple cooperated with the FBI in the days following the attack. It was reportedly just iCloud backups that was handed over but now that the password was changed, the plan they had wasn't going to work. The plan was to have the phone connect to a known wifi network and connected to a charger so it could create a backup automatically, as it should. The the FBI could request the backup data without unlocking the phone. BUT, like I said, the password was changed. So now you HAVE TO unlock the phone and input the new password for the Apple ID before you can create a backup again. But that's the problem, we don't know the passcode. :)

Again - and not trying to sound obtuse. If you're breaking into the phone/accessing data that isn't yours - what's really the difference in method?
 
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Serious question: does the iTunes backup password interface have the same brute force decryption prevention methods that iOS has baked in that are the problem here?

No, I don't believe so, but the iTunes one can only be accessed after one logs into your Mac. You'd need to brute force through the login screen first, which is not as simple because it's not just a 4 or 6 digit code.
 
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Serious question: does the iTunes backup password interface have the same brute force decryption prevention methods that iOS has baked in that are the problem here?
No, it doesn't seem so. I've tried more than 10 times before. I had forgotten my password and it didn't lock me out. However, using brute force attacks on the iTunes encrypted backup password could take forever since its alphanumeric.
 
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What apple is saying is if the password hadn't been changed they could have connected to a known wifi network and a backup would automatically have happened. My question is, if this guy turned off iCloud backup in settings what would they have been able to retrieve?
But again- obtaining access to the data - whether on the phone or in the cloud - what does it matter? Clearly I'm missing something. I'm not advocating for a breach of privacy. But it seems that if there's already a breach or a breach is "approved" - then it really doesn't matter how the information is then obtained?
 
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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.

It was on, originally, up until October 19. If you turn it off, I'm pretty sure it doesn't delete the existing backup (in case you want to turn it back on again and do an incremental backup instead of a full one) - you have to do that manually.

I covered this point in my earlier post. Either it wasn't turned off (and people misunderstood why backups ended when they did, and just assumed it had been disabled) which would enable apples theory to work; or it was turned off and it wouldn't have password change or not.
 
Well my question really still stands. What difference does changing the password make. If they're going to break into the account, they're going to break into the account.

Simple.
The iPhone connect automatically to the iCloud backup on an know wifi. But the FBI changed the password of the iCloud. So now the iPhone doesn't backup automatically because the changed password.
 
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