Hardened Security Features of iPhone 5s Successfully Hacked in LAPD Murder Investigation

[CarlJ]

there is a common denominator in these cases. these are phones of people that commit crimes; not "steal from a gas station" crimes, but serious theft/arson/homicide. i might be in the minority, but when you try to wrong or harm another human, for whatever reason, you've surrendered your right to privacy.

And have you surrendered your right to privacy simply by being accused of such a crime? Or are you taking approach that you "know" the accused is guilty, so it's okay to take away their right to privacy? Is "innocent until proven guilty" still a thing in this country?

 

[Flight Plan]

I am okay with Apple improving their phone security.
I am okay with the FBI or other government agencies trying to break that security.

I am NOT okay when the government uses the courts in an attempt to make Apple (or any other device maker) complicit in the breaking of the security. That is a conflict of interest for all parties.

The US Federal government already has too much power. Indeed, the checks-and-balances designed by our Founders seem to have developed a malfunction in 2009 and nobody even seems to have recognized this fact.

Each of these three branches should be working to balance the others. Their purpose is not to "find a way to agree with the President", yet that's what they do. Does anybody else feel like me that we're constantly being triple-team-cage-matched?

It has gotten so bad that I now wouldn't put it past the government (whether federal, state, or local) to plant evidence to serve their political needs, even if that violates the civil rights of one or more innocent citizens.

We live in a world now where we can trust the government about the same as we can trust the common "Windows Tech Support" caller from Mumbai or the "You've won a free trip!" email from Atlanta.

We're headed down the wrong path so fast, I just want the highest possible security for all of my devices. To protect me against identity thieves and other financial mayhem-makers, yes. But more importantly than that, I want it for my protection against the US Federal government or its agents.

There's always an "even if", right? So yes, I want this security even if I were to be murdered and there's "a chance" that my phone has the evidence to convict the criminal.

I just don't trust that the government has the smarts or the will to use my information correctly anyhow, and my murderer probably won't get more than probation anyway, so why bother?

Besides, all you'll find in my phone are pictures of Halloween costumes and text messages to my girlfriends over the years (with lots of horrible words such as "sweetheart" and "smooch!"). But I'm still gonna protect it from the government as much as I can, so please, don't bother with your so-called altruistic "for Justice!" cheerleading. Pffft!

If the government wants to start doing the right things, here are a few suggestions. I call it my "flight plan"...

1. Stop letting terrorists enter the country!
2. Put terrorists and other heinous criminals away for a long time. Or use the death penalty. I'd be okay with that. Just do it before all the victims die of old age and let's please do it without my phone data.
3. Stop punishing law abiding citizens.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Tech198]

So now we have a fury of Apple devices the media is going crazy about (and users) like opening a xmas present every day.. I dunno why the FBI didn't just use Google to check weather later iPhone could be hacked,, it would have been easier than asking Apple. (ok, but we must do it 'legal' like)

well ok,, if ya wanna be like that Mr. FBI man

As we know from the 5c, the FBI got in on its own,, without the need for Apple. (so why don't they use the same bases here too ? )

Counter-threat the hackers, may be good for Apple to improve security, but actually i think Apple's going after the wrong people here.... Hackers will always find a way into everything...... So they wanna eliminate the 'middle man' (aka FBI) They can try. but it won't be a pretty sight..

 

[Flight Plan]

I think the Feebs were just using subterfuge. I'll even go so far as to say that I'll bet this was all planned as a way to make Apple users doubt Apple's ability to secure their devices.

For what reason? The feds don't need a reason to hate you. They already do, just by predisposition.

Remember, the US Federal government doesn't like Apple, because Apple won't play the lobbyist game. Except when they want to build a big Frisbee HQ, but that happens only about once per century...

 

[IHelpId10t5]

I think they just might have guessed the password.

Guessing the passcode is the most likely method. The vast majority of technology users use the same password, PINs, and passcodes everywhere! For 4-digit passcodes, any "expert" would simply try the last 4 digits of the owners phone number, address, SSN, birthdate, 1111, or other ridiculously obvious passcode. In many cases just looking at the fingerprint distribution on the screen would tell them which four numbers are part of the passcode. Matching the likely possibilities can then become trivial.

 

[sudo1996]

Phones are not beings... they don't care if they're "safe". I personally don't get all the angst over cracking phones. It seems way down the list from things like the IRS potentially seizing your assets and stuff like that.

Because they don't want criminals doing it. I think it's best to just not store anything too sensitive on your phone; assume it can be cracked by anyone who captures it. The only security I'll assume I have is against things like MiTM attacks on the network.

 

[MacCubed]

Can they replicate the storage 1:1 either virtually or physically ~9999 time and try out all possible pass code combinations?

Can't do that as restoring from a backup requires a password

 

[tivoboy]

If I pickup the house and move it somewhere else, I have all the time in the world to break in to it.. ;-)

 

[AFDoc]

They should be made to reveal how they unlocked the phones so Apple can keep its millions or customers safer, because anyone can use other encryption methods. Yes it makes law enforcement's job harder, but it also impedes framing in the technology age and it's not Apple's job to make law enforcement's job easier. It's Apple's job to provide its customers and its millions of using public security. Apple cannot suddenly make humans less primitive in their private lives. People will be people.

According to a post link here on MR when the FBI issue was going on they would have to divulge any information on how they got into the phone if they tried to use any info obtained on the phone. It was written by someone that is in the know... he said if they FBI tried to use info in any prosecution then they would have to let the defense know how it was done so the defense experts could test how it was done ect ect. THAT'S one of the reasons why the FBI's request was so dangerous.

 

[HurtinMinorKey]

Can't do that as restoring from a backup requires a password

They could literally copy the data, cell for cell (as it sits encrypted) and then try the pass codes on separate entities of the data reproduction. i.e. They can encrypt the data, but they can't hide the zeros and 1s.