FBI Briefing Senators on How It Accessed San Bernardino Shooter's iPhone

[MacRumors]

The FBI has begun telling some U.S. Senators how it accessed the data on San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook's iPhone 5c, according to The National Journal (via CNET). Previously, the FBI has been coy on how it accessed the data on the phone and hasn't communicated the exploit used to Apple.

California Senator Diane Feinstein, the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, confirmed to CNET that she was briefed on the method used by the FBI. North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has been invited to an FBI briefing but has not yet accepted, according to The National Journal. The two Senators are co-sponsors on a bill that would force companies to comply with court orders to unlock encrypted communication services.

That bill is reportedly set to be introduced to Congress as soon as this week, and both Burr and Feinstein told The National Journal that the FBI should not tell Apple how it accessed the data on Syed Farook's iPhone.

"I don't be­lieve the gov­ern­ment has any ob­lig­a­tion to Apple," Fein­stein said in a state­ment emailed to the National Journal. "No com­pany or in­di­vidu­al is above the law, and I'm dis­mayed that any­one would re­fuse to help the gov­ern­ment in a ma­jor ter­ror­ism in­vest­ig­a­tion."

When the FBI first mentioned that it had found a "possible method" to obtain the data from the iPhone, Apple said that it would insist on obtaining the details of the exploit should the government pursue its case against the Cupertino company. However, since the case was dropped, there is little legal recourse for Apple to attain that information. The FBI reportedly turned to Israeli firm Cellebrite to unlock the phone. Shortly after the Justice Department dropped the case, Apple issued a statement saying it would "continue to increase the security" of its products.

Yesterday, FBI general counsel James Baker said that the data on the iPhone was being analyzed and that it was "simply too soon to tell" whether the information is valuable.

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: FBI Briefing Senators on How It Accessed San Bernardino Shooter's iPhone

 

[Peace]

"I'm dismayed that anyone would refuse to help the government in a major terrorism investigation."

I would be dismayed too had it just been for one phone but it wasn't.

Feinstein should read more.

 

[nikhsub1]

Wow, Feinstein doesn't get it.

 

[Kaibelf]

Perhaps Feinstein should also accept that Apple doesn't have any obligation to serve as a forensics arm of the state.

 

[macs4nw]

Oh great, something tells me we haven't heard the last word about this yet. Those lawmakers are itching to come up with more legislation to 'save us' from doom and gloom...

 

[FakeWozniak]

You would think the DMCA applies to the US Government too.

 

[macfacts]

Apparently Apple already created the backdoor and named it Siri.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...photos-and-contacts-on-locked-device.1966071/

 

[sdsvtdriver]

Good point Feinstein. You wouldn't want Apple to plug a hole that keeps China and Russia from accessing data on US government phones. Besides, sharing is caring!

 

[avanpelt]

Translation of Feinstein's remark: "Anyone who doesn't give the government what they want can go **** themselves."

Spoken like the entitled brat she is who has been in public office far too long.

 

[Westside guy]

Feinstein either doesn't understand, or she doesn't care, that in the end she's not snubbing Apple - she's snubbing the American citizens who use their products.

 

[pika2000]

Wow, Feinstein doesn't get it.

And yet she is still in office, paid by yours truly, the taxpayers.
The people get the leaders they wished for.

 

[Eldiablojoe]

Ahhh, like most liberals Diane is parroting their philosophy, id est - "We are smarther/better/more civilized than you, and we can run your life for you better than you can run it yourself. Submit to our benevolent paternity."

 

[2457282]

This is extremely dangerous. If the US passes a law forcing companies to back door into our phones, why would every other country do the same? Giving the keys to the kindom to our enimies seem way worse that forcing the FBI to figure out how to spell "Hack it yourself."

 

[tbobmccoy]

Ahhh, like most liberals Diane is parroting their philosophy, id est - "We are smarther/better/more civilized than you, and we can run your life for you better than you can run it yourself. Submit to our benevolent paternity."

This is a linear view of political philosophies, when at the very least, there should be two axes. She's an authoritarian liberal, Bernie is more of a libertarian liberal, for example.

 

[writingdevil]

Ahhh, like most liberals Diane is parroting their philosophy, id est - "We are smarther/better/more civilized than you, and we can run your life for you better than you can run it yourself. Submit to our benevolent paternity."

"Ahh, like most liberals..."
Sadly, one could say you're simply "parroting" easy to copy 'talking points' with little to no knowledge about facts of the situation. Every Republican prez nominee said Apple should yield to the FBI 'demands' to create software to bypass ten try defeat. Why not just deal with iPhone and the issues at hand instead of your "id est"-ing your personal agenda?

 

[Sevanw]

Apple: We will not help you unlock that phone.
FBI: Actually, we're good, we don't need your stinkin' help.
Apple: Oh hi, can we talk?

Lol, what an embarrassment for Apple.

 

[applesith]

If they even opened the phone...could just be a bluff in attempt to look like they cracked it but couldn't.

 

[fitshaced]

Why succumb to an attack of your right to privacy when the people trying to force this infringement are ego and promotion obsessed? Their right to see everything to do, think and want does not make you safer. Especially when they are getting tapped themselves by foreign governments. What needs to happen is a consultative approach to balance their need with the people's. Right now it just looks like the FBI want to be able to do whatever they want with no regard to anybody. People need to get to vote on the rights that are being stripped away. Voting for a leader doesn't cut it.

 

[Rocketman]

Feinstein is on the way out this term. The problem is that empowers her to propose the most radical stuff of her entire career and use her position of power to push it.

 

[iOSFangirl6001]

"I'm dismayed that anyone would refuse to help the government in a major terrorism investigation."

I would be dismayed too had it just been for one phone but it wasn't.

Feinstein should read more.

Pretty much this

Wow, Feinstein doesn't get it.

Nope he don't lol

Perhaps Feinstein should also accept that Apple doesn't have any obligation to serve as a forensics arm of the state.

Exactly

You would think the DMCA applies to the US Government too.

Remember this is the same government that blatantly showed a willingness to sacrifice freedom, privacies and civil liberties in the name of "security" and "terrorism"

So likely laws, DMCA and whatever else be damned

 

[pat500000]

F.-BS, show us the part where you guys actually hacked through. Everything I hear is..."we were able to hack it" but I don't see the showing part. Just let Apple know your method...and apple will do their part to help you guys secure by putting added security on that part.

 

[macfacts]

F.-BS, show us the part where you guys actually hacked through. Everything I hear is..."we were able to hack it" but I don't see the showing part. Just let Apple know your method...and apple will do their part to help you guys secure by putting added security on that part.

The FBI are showing how, just not showing everyone, just only Senators.

So the FBI paid this company for this information about how to hack the iphone 5c, so why doesn't Apple use some of that money they have and pay same company to find out the hack and fix it? Almost all big tech companies do pay for bug/security info but not Apple -> http://bgr.com/2016/03/25/iphone-hacking-apple-bug-bounty-program/ Doesn't seem like Apple is serious about security and prefers to use customers as beta testers to fix things.

 

[4jasontv]

And yet she is still in office, paid by yours truly, the taxpayers.
The people get the leaders they wished for.

A fundamental problem with American politics is that you can make money representing the people. The job should be a privilege not a career. It should cost politicians, not taxpayers, for the privilege to serve.

 

[pika2000]

A fundamental problem with American politics is that you can make money representing the people. The job should be a privilege not a career. It should cost politicians, not taxpayers, for the privilege to serve.

If representing people is a job, then when the person is not doing his/her job, the manager/boss should take ownership and replace the person with somebody else. The boss here is the American taxpayers, and yet they are still willingly pay the same politicians in office.

 

[Pbrutto]

An apple friendly senator will tell them.....or Apple will just buy Cellebrite