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Senator Sends Letter to Tim Cook Over Touch ID Privacy Concerns

Al Franken and his staff suck. This is blatant attention whoring.

The answers to all of these questions are already known. The fact that the questions don't refer to the publically available answers means this was and is not a legitimate attempt to dig deeper into privacy and security concerns but instead just another senator trying to get publicity for themselves.

You and your staff suck Senator Franken. Go back to SNL.
 
OK, here is the deal. Further parts of Frankens message to Apple contained this:

Under American privacy law, law enforcement agencies cannot compel companies to disclose the “contents” of communications without a warrant, and companies cannot share that information with third parties without customer consent. However, the “record or other information pertaining to a subscriber… or customer” can be freely disclosed to any third party without customer consent, and can be disclosed to law enforcement upon issuance of a non-probable cause court order. Moreover, a “subscriber number or identity” can be disclosed to the government with a simple subpoena… Does Apple consider fingerprint data to be the “contents” of communications, customer or subscriber records, or a “subscriber number or identity” as defined in the Stored Communications Act?
Click to expand...


SO REALLY what Franken is after is more access to OUR info from Apple to give to his buddies at NSA. He is just squirming to find the ciorrect justification, or more accurately, get Apple to tell him what excuse he and the NSA need to grab even more data from Apple about us.

TO that poster who said that this would be different if it were Google... you know what, neither Google or Apple is quite as insidious as the info grab the NSA is doing....
 
carfac said:
SO REALLY what Franken is after is more access to OUR info from Apple to give to his buddies at NSA. He is just squirming to find the ciorrect justification, or more accurately, get Apple to tell him what excuse he and the NSA need to grab even more data from Apple about us.

TO that poster who said that this would be different if it were Google... you know what, neither Google or Apple is quite as insidious as the info grab the NSA is doing....
Click to expand...

Since you didn't respond to my previous post, I'll go ahead and slap this on you...

Here

No, he's not completely against the NSA, but he's not a huge fan of the status quo, either. Assuming he's trying to needle out another way to get at our data because he's THA GUBERMINT is just ignorance.
 
Razeus said:
But it's ok, it's Apple. If this was Google collecting this information, you guys would be up in arms.
Click to expand...

But Apple is not collecting the info, it stays on the device. Apple never gets to see it so how are they collecting the info? I agree that it could be a simple step to retrieve the data but that doesn't bother me, I have nothing to hide.

You give up way more info getting a passport and traveling to the US.
 
thejadedmonkey said:
Look at it like this: If a senator used Touch ID, and misplaces his iPhone in China, is there any way that the Chinese will be able to get the senator's fingerprints?
Click to expand...

Yes. Off the phone s/he left behind, off the door handles they touched, the silverware they used to eat with (along with DNA perhaps!!) off the dead hooker in the hotel ro....
+++ ATH0
 
(1) Is it possible to convert locally-stored fingerprint data into a digital or visual format that can be used by third parties?


No - but otherwise, Apple might be legally prevented from telling you.



(2) Is it possible to extract and obtain fingerprint data from an iPhone? If so, can this be done remotely, or with physical access to the device?


No - but otherwise, Apple might be legally prevented from telling you.


(7) Can Apple assure its users that it will never share their fingerprint data, along with tools or other information necessary to extract or manipulate the iPhone fingerprint data, with any commercial third party?


Yes - but if not, Apple might be legally prevented from telling you (if the 3rd party is a national security government contractor).



(8) Can Apple assure its users that it will never share their fingerprint files, along with tools or other information necessary to extract or manipulate the iPhone fingerprint data, with any government, absent appropriate legal authority and process?


Yes - but if not, Apple might be legally prevented from telling you (if the 3rd party is a national security government contractor).
 
DollaTwentyFive said:
My fingerprints don't need to re reconstructed from a hash. I'm in a business where my professional licenses require about 3 different entities to fingerprint me. They have had mine for 30 years. I'm more concerned with everything else you mention.

Also, if anyone wants to say "if you aren't doing anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about." I will

A) say thank you for sounding like my elderly mother
B) blast them in the face because that's missing the fracking point!
Click to expand...

One does get the impression though, that although private conversations, images, chat
can easily be monitored for years now, nobody did break the news
or that fingerprints are the most dear private parts.

With constant automated real time surveillance already possible
and being done, fingerprint scans add very little, yet seem to get the
most attention.
 
Let me get this straight.

If Sen. Frankin was SO CONCERNED, why didn't he ask these questions at the iPhone 5S Reveal at the Keynote instead on the Launch Day? Oh I get it, it's a Publicity Deal!!!
 
Dear Apple,
Hey buds, it's your boys over in the government. We see you have yourselves some new tricky fandangled technology. We just want some information on it to see if we can't find ourselves a nice little way to exploit it. Hit us back within 30 days showing compliance or we will have to go after your distribution of music like we went after your book distribution service.

Your biggest fan,
US Gov't
 
Rocco83 said:
Dear Apple,
Hey buds, it's your boys over in the government. We see you have yourselves some new tricky fandangled technology. We just want some information on it to see if we can't find ourselves a nice little way to exploit it. Hit us back within 30 days showing compliance or we will have to go after your distribution of music like we went after your book distribution service.

Your biggest fan,
US Gov't
Click to expand...

PS: You really should bring your non-US profits back to the US so we can tax them, would really help us out.

PPS: We love you guys!
 
DesterWallaboo said:
There are legitimate concerns raised in this letter to Apple I hadn't considered. The possibility that your fingerprint information might simply be available to federal law enforcement under the Patriot Act is rather chilling. I'd like to know the answer to that question before I buy my next iPhone.
Click to expand...

You know, just because you buy a product with a fingerprint scanner doesn't mean you have to use that feature. You could choose to :eek: NEVER SET IT UP!
 
Seriously? gett off it

I mean Ibm/Hp and all those fools have had finger print scanners on the pcs forever... now all of a sudden its a big deal cuz its apple? Stupid politicians
 
unplugme71 said:
The government would love this data. Imagine every citizen having their fingerprint added to the database?
Click to expand...


You do realize the government(s) has your fingerprint if you've ever:

- enrolled in kindergarden in most states
- had a drivers license or ID card issued in any state
- had any professional license, certification, or accreditation in your name
- cashed a check at a bank you don't hold an account at
- worked in almost any government job, or contractor
- left the country and traveled to any one of the hundred countries who take fingerprint scan on entry

Not to mention, you leave fingerprints everywhere, clearly you're not carrying alcohol wipes and wiping off door handles, ATM keys, or anything after you touch it.

Not sure why people are so afraid of EVERYTHING ... people give every detail of their lives to their mortgage companies and grocery store club card applications, yet something that you leave everywhere, your fingerprint, is suddenly scary?

Personally I'd be more worried about the government and Apple having a back door deal to let them look at my iSight camera at will on my iMac, Macbook Air, iPad, and iPhone... but hey, it's flattering myself to think my life has anything interesting enough for them to want to observe.... but then again I'm not a criminal.
 
wgarrettsr said:
If Sen. Frankin was SO CONCERNED, why didn't he ask these questions at the iPhone 5S Reveal at the Keynote instead on the Launch Day? Oh I get it, it's a Publicity Deal!!!
Click to expand...

Because iPhone 5s wasn't out yet and this way he gets a few delivered to his office compliments of Apple. This guy has no business being in politics, he's so old and out of touch. Why aren't these guys working on getting the budget issue solved, and issues that really matter? The media is already having a field day with this, and that'll get more out of Apple than government inquisition.... yet we'll see the government shut down because they won't balance the budget. The whole thing is laughable how much of a joke in the world the US has become.
 
shenan1982 said:
Personally I'd be more worried about the government and Apple having a back door deal to let them look at my iSight camera at will on my iMac, Macbook Air, iPad, and iPhone... but hey, it's flattering myself to think my life has anything interesting enough for them to want to observe.... but then again I'm not a criminal.
Click to expand...

I leave a small piece of masking tape over the laptop camera. Problem solved.
 
America is in the toilet and Franken worries about the iPhone!

Cities in flames, cities bankrupt, shootings in the streets, no jobs, Repugs taking 40 billion (that's billion) out of food stamps....and this and much, much more.......and this publicity-seeking doofus frets the iPhone. Just unbelievable!
 
Razeus said:
But it's ok, it's Apple. If this was Google collecting this information, you guys would be up in arms.
Click to expand...

If you read everything released by Apple about it the hash is stored in a secure area of the chip, the rest of the chip (not the OS the actual CHIPSET) has no access to the hash data.

This means the A7 chip can ask does this match the hash? The secure area can say yes. However the fingerprint information is never visible to the A7 main chip area which means no matter what you do in the software you can't even access the hash of your fingerprint never mind your actual prints.

As this means your fingerprint is never actually stored anywhere and Apple cannot access the data at a HARDWARE level then they are not in fact collecting fingerprint information at all. You only have to use the Internet and Apples information to check this.

There is far more useful information to security agencies than your fingerprints like your passwords, email, phone calls and bank details they provide way more detail about you the person and your life than the shape of the swirls on your thumb.

Now granted paranoids might suspect Apple are lying and have some government agent working in the chip design team making a special back door and nobody is admitting it, but if you start to believe things like that then you should be super worried about almost all aspects of modern life!

For example your phone chip has a remote low jack to reveal GPS data (public knowledge for emergencies) the government can pull up your name find your phone contract and in 10 minutes have your exact location. They can then have a drone watching you at Wallmart 15 minutes later. With all this information we know they can access getting worried that they might be able to get a hash of your thumbprint (the one you have to provide for a drivers license or when passing through customs) should be of minimal concern.

I don't like government intrusion any more than the next person but worrying about this as a potential issue is pointless if you have ever travelled anywhere or done anything where your fingerprints might be needed. If you have never had your fingerprints scanned then it's unlikely you are the demographic that will buy a Mobile phone especially one with a GPS chip that legally has to allow the government to low jack your GPS location if they want.

Edwin

(this post and the views within are mine and not my employers)
 
HiVolt said:
PC laptops have had fingerprint sensors for years... Why isn't he writing Lenovo, Dell, HP?

This guy is just "concerned" to get his name in the news with a big name company like Apple and the new phone release, makes it look like he cares for his people...
Click to expand...

Exactly, rather than lead the charge against Apple, Mr.-I-Used-to-be-a-Progressive-Radio-Host-for-Air-America-Radio-and-now-I'm-just-a-sellout-Senator, why not start worrying about what the government that employs you is doing to we mere average citizens regarding privacy, effing hypocrite, talk about opportunism going badly awry.

Add to your list that before Lenovo, that little PC division they bought was owned by IBM, where fingerprint technology was incorporated into its ThinkPad line of laptops (when I was an employee there many years ago). Never heard him even on AAR ever discuss going after IBM for storing those fingerprints.
 
This guy came into the place where I work this summer. I was unamused to see him there and now I'm unamused to see his face in my news feeds...
 
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