Apple to Launch a Global Law Enforcement Web Portal to Streamline Data Requests by End of 2018 [Updated]

[McTaste]

I thought imessages were encrypted? Turns out Apple and the govt have the key? What is the point?

 

[Rocko99991]

No warrant, no help.

 

[FrenchRoasted]

You have to go back and read the article more thoroughly. Apple, as they are legally required to do, has processed tens of thousands of requests just in the past few years. Just because you haven't understood that these subpoenas, search warrants, etc., are being served on Apple, Google, etc., doesn't mean that law enforcement is similarly unaware, and the detectives are going to say Gollee, we had no idea iPhones had such information that we could get and start applying for search warrants for iPhones. No, this obviously isn't any revelation to law enforcement, it is just a more efficient process for Apple to have a single portal instead of thousands of law enforcement officers having to contact Apple via a myriad of methods to get the information through Apple's corporate bureaucracy, and the training is a great idea to get everyone on the same page as to not waste Apple's or the cops' time and effort, especially when it could be critical to save a life, e.g., a woman has been kidnapped and time is of the essence to get the records on when and where her phone has been used. It's also great PR to combat the idea that Apple doesn't cooperate with law enforcement that has valid legal process.

Agreed. A private company MUST comply with government laws or executives go to jail, why is that not obvious to people? Of course since this is a private company, the comments are all about how horrible Apple is, selling us out, etc. How about getting upset at the root of the problem, the State.

 

[Rocko99991]

This isn't what governments want. They want to track all of us.

*Are.

 

[CarlJ]

Many peoples main concern is actually not law enforcement getting their hands on your data. But rather the risk of law enforcement being hacked or perhaps more common being reckless with your data – suddenly making your data available to everyone.

And that concern would be entirely misplaced in this thread, then. This article isn't about Apple giving law enforcement unfettered access to everyone's data, it's not an open pipeline of data flowing from Apple to law enforcement, this is about Apple standardizing the path through which law enforcement contacts and interacts with Apple, when they come to present a subpoena or search warrant in order to get information about specific individuals. These requests are already coming to Apple.

 

[Feenician]

I thought imessages were encrypted? Turns out Apple and the govt have the key? What is the point?

It is. iMessage itself cannot be decrypted by Apple. However iMessages are stored in iCloud backups if you choose and it appears the backups can be decrypted.

The relevant portions seems to be

iMessage communications are end-to-end encrypted and Apple has no way to decrypt iMessage data when it is in transit between devices. Apple cannot intercept iMessage communications and Apple does not have iMessage communication logs. Apple does have iMessage capability query logs. These logs indicate that a query has been initiated by a device application (which can be Messages, Contacts, Phone, or other device application) and routed to Apple’s servers for a lookup handle (which can be a phone number, email address, or Apple ID) to determine whether that lookup handle is “iMessage capable.” iMessage capability query logs do not indicate that any communication between users actually took place. Apple cannot determine whether any actual iMessage communication took place on the basis of the iMessage capability query logs. Apple also cannot identify the actual application that initiated the query. iMessage capability query logs do not confirm that an iMessage event was actually attempted. iMessage capability query logs are retained up to 30 days. iMessage capability query logs, if available, may be obtained with an order under 18 U.S.C. §2703(d) or court order with the equivalent legal standard or search warrant.

and

iOS device backups may include photos and videos in the Camera Roll, device settings, app data, iMessage, Business Chat, SMS, and MMS messages and voicemail. All iCloud content data stored by Apple is encrypted at the location of the server. When third-party vendors are used to store data, Apple never gives them the keys. Apple retains the encryption keys in its U.S. data centers. iCloud content, as it exists in the subscriber’s account, may be provided in response to a search warrant issued upon a showing of probable cause.

 

[centauratlas]

That's why they cannot send a lot of information.

And of course many requests arise when someone's iPhone is stolen and they go to the police because they want it back. You'd be happy if Apple gives all the "find my phone" logs after the theft to the police.

Two key takeaways:
1. If you don't want to share info with the government, don't use iCloud
2. Apple should be encrypting iCloud and all the data there.

 

[the johnmc]

I thought imessages were encrypted? Turns out Apple and the govt have the key? What is the point?

No, that's not at all true.

 

[Feenician]

Two key takeaways:
1. If you don't want to share info with the government, don't use iCloud
2. Apple should be encrypting iCloud and all the data there.

With regard to 2., they are encrypting it at rest.

 

[DeftwillP]

Exactly, well said. All these people worried about privacy, if something were to happen to a loved one and information from the offender's phone can help the case are these people concerned with privacy gonna tell the police " please dont go in that guys phone, your invading his privacy" REALLY !!! I just cant comprehend these people so concerned, If you are doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to hide. Maybe these people are using their phones for things they shouldnt be doing. I use it for phone calls, text and occasional facebook, want to look at my phone? Knock your socks off, I have nothing to hide.

Sure, thats one scenario. But where we see the $$$ of law enforcement really ramping up is a more or less aimless and pointless war on drugs. If it can justify getting to use MRAPs and other surplussed military assault vehicles/implements to get some drugs off the street, whats another couple of warrants here and there. I realize that apple already complies and gives data as needed thousands and thousands of times per year in law enforcement. But its becoming more normalized or accepted that law enforcement should just be granted access to your private data for whatever offense. Where do you draw the line?

You're basically saying at the end that "I've done nothing wrong, I have nothing to fear". I'm happy for you. That's not the way I chose to accept/embrace my rights.

 

[CarlJ]

I think this is a grave mistake.
If the person holding the request account is compromised or his account his hacked, the consequences is disastrous.

They need to come in via court order... or official channel where Apple can legitimately recognize a person of authority.

Do you really think there's just a checkbox that the "person holding the request account" has to check saying, "yes I have a search warrant"? Or is it more likely that they have to actually provide the correct legal documentation in every case? Do you really think, if Apple got a request saying, "we need everything on these 1000 people", that Apple wouldn't double-check with the agencies involved that the request is legit? This is a way to have one central receiving location to get the process started. The request still needs to "come in via court order... or official channel". This is not just a web portal into all of Apple's data. Did we read the same article? Did you read the article at all? Or did you just read the title, take a guess at what it meant, and go straight to complaining?

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

The back door begins

How so?
[doublepost=1536247902][/doublepost]

Interesting coming from a company that is actively advocating they are NOT collecting private data about us through their services.

What private data beyond what you enter with every online service an purchase, or that you voluntarily upload to iCloud (which I ELECT to NOT use at ALL), are you talking about?

 

[CarlJ]

Stop kidding yourself and get off the grid now /s

This is a funny argument to be making online. How did you read this article, or comment on it?

 

[iapplelove]

This is a funny argument to be making online. How did you read this article, or comment on it?

Did you see the S for sarcasm ? Probably not but thanks anyways for the reply

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Orwellian.

Yes, the Government is getting more Orwellian all the time.

Good thing there are companies like Apple that are dedicating a team to make sure that the MULTITUDINOUS LEO requests are responded to as minimally and consistently as possible, rather than have some rando lawyer on their "legal team decide on THEIR interpretation of how the Request intersects with Federal Law and Company Policy.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

Just anyone defending Apple loving user privacy please read the article:

"Apple received 4,450 requests for 15,168 devices. Apple provided data in 3,548 cases, or approximately 80 percent of the time. Worldwide, Apple received a total of 29,718 requests covering 309,362 devices, providing data 79 percent of the time"

In summary in the USA Apple gave up the data "80 percent of the time", worldwide they gave it up "79 percent of the time".

So overall Apple gives up user data 4/5 of the time. Boy they're great aren't they?

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Uncle Tim built Coppy Wonder World, filled with all the wonderful things good cops love. And bad ones, too.

Look, there‘s a stand with grilled users, and there, fried privacy. Looks so nice with all the PR sugar and icing.

Seems, if you want healthy food, you will have to prepare it yourself from now on.

Yep. So get busy building that Smartphone from parts you buy from DigiKey and Mouser...

And then, have fun writing the OS from scratch, too...

 

[Feenician]

Just anyone defending Apple loving user privacy please read the article:

"Apple received 4,450 requests for 15,168 devices. Apple provided data in 3,548 cases, or approximately 80 percent of the time. Worldwide, Apple received a total of 29,718 requests covering 309,362 devices, providing data 79 percent of the time"

In summary in the USA Apple gave up the data "80 percent of the time", worldwide they gave it up "79 percent of the time".

So overall Apple gives up user data 4/5 of the time. Boy they're great aren't they?

If the request is legally valid, they have to give it up. The 20% they don't are likely mostly comprised of failures to follow due process or hopeful fishing attempts by Law Enforcement Agencies.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Given that Apple requires you an iCloud account to use their products

That is incorrect.

I have an Apple ID for my iOS Devices; but I do NOT use iCloud for ANYTHING.

Yes, this means I have to dismiss about 3 Alerts everytime I boot up my MacBook Pro, and I don't have synced bookmarks and whatnot; but that's worth it to me.

 

[iapplelove]

Yep. So get busy building that Smartphone from parts you buy from DigiKey and Mouser...

And then, have fun writing the OS from scratch, too...

Oh please don’t give me that, you knew what the original poster meant.

 

[R3k]

This wouldn't have happened under Tim Cook's Apple. Now that Eddie Cue has come to prominence, downhill. /s

 

[WatchFromAfar]

If the request is legally valid, they have to give it up. The 20% they don't are likely mostly comprised of failures to follow due process or hopeful fishing attempts by Law Enforcement Agencies.

You've hit something valid on the head there. If law enforcement agencies requests are 4/5 valid then it's not like they are just spamming smartphone companies for information at random right? unless someone thinks they just get lucky most of the time.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Oh please don’t give me that, you knew what the original poster meant.

Really? Because that's EXACTLY what he had boxed himself into, IMHO.

I was just pointing out that, because that is (obviously!) not a practical plan, you REALLY have only two choices:

1. Trust SOMEBODY (in this case, I choose to trust Apple)

2. Don't own ANY tech products. IOW, live in a shack in the woods like Ted Kazinski (a/k/a The Unabomber).

 

[Feenician]

You've hit something valid on the head there. If law enforcement agencies requests are 4/5 valid then it's not like they are just spamming smartphone companies for information at random right? unless someone thinks they just get lucky most of the time.

AWell there’s a piece in Apple’s guidelines that implies they have regularly enough seen overreach alongside legitimate orders.

Q: I requested information in the body of my email, why was it not provided?

A: Requests for information not included within the body of the signed subpoena, search warrant, or court order will be disregarded; Apple will only provide information that is specified in the actual executed legal process document.

That definitely seems to imply that they get “here’s a court order for phone records but, while you’re there can we have X, Y an Z too”

Other than that though all the 80% figure says it that the requesting Agency (and a judge?) felt they were justified in their request. Whether they were actually justified in their request or not seems a subjective matter.

 

[iapplelove]

Really? Because that's EXACTLY what he had boxed himself into, IMHO.

I was just pointing out that, because that is (obviously!) not a practical plan, you REALLY have only two choices:

1. Trust SOMEBODY (in this case, I choose to trust Apple)

2. Don't own ANY tech products. IOW, live in a shack in the woods like Ted Kazinski (a/k/a The Unabomber).

No one is going to build their own smart phone. The poster was just making a valid point that you can’t trust any company now a days. And this seems to be more fact than fiction.

Growing ones own food was just an analogy. No one really is going to make their own tech product.