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killerbot

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 23, 2015
26
0
Hi,
I'd like to know if Siri and Touch ID are safe ? Officialy Apple cares about privacy, but do you think it's true ?
If I use Touch ID, can the NSA or anyone else steal the bioprints ?
Thank you :D
 

thekayman

macrumors 6502
Oct 23, 2014
303
53
of course not, but luckily there's this

nokia-c6-intro.png
 

MentalFloss

macrumors 65816
Mar 14, 2012
1,019
841
Hi,
I'd like to know if Siri and Touch ID are safe ? Officialy Apple cares about privacy, but do you think it's true ?
If I use Touch ID, can the NSA or anyone else steal the bioprints ?
Well, what exactly are you asking? Whether Apple works with the NSA? Or whether the NSA can steal your fingerprints even if Apple doesn't work with them?

First of all, if you are important enough that the NSA is interested in you, then they already have your fingerprint and voice profile. Also, if that is a problem for you, then I would strongly suggest not to use mobile telephony, the Internet, Smart TVs, computers, credit cards, bank accounts. There's probably a cabin in the woods somewhere in more remote parts of Siberia where it would be difficult for them to get to you. And no, this is not sarcasm.

Second, at least in theory, the NSA is able to break any encryption. Breaking encryption is always just a matter of raw computing power. If you are important enough for the NSA that they really want to monitor your communication, then they would be able to do so. IT security is never perfect, but it is always a matter of making it so difficult for an "attacker" that the effort to decrypt your communication is prohibitive, and the cost is higher than the benefit. I think he cost for getting to your fingerprints and voice profiles is higher for the NSA than the benefit they would get out of it.

Third, as far as whether Apple is working with the NSA: Who knows. They say they don't. I am tempted to believe them, because if they do cooperate in areas where they have clearly stated that they don't, and that information leaks out (and it would leak out), it would be the end of the company. Apple states that your fingerprints only remain on your device and that Siri is end-to-end-encrypted. Both can be verified without too much effort.

But in the end, I don't personally worry about the NSA. I don't know why everyone believes that the "Big Brother" of the future will evolve from the current government. I am 100% sure that if it happens, it will be a company. There is already a company right now that serves as a gateway to the information stored in the Internet for the vast majority of people, that determines which news its users see, that is the market leader in software for easily traceable mobile devices. That company supplies the software for devices which contain all the necessary hardware to function as a telescreen as described as the key means of control in "1984". That company would be able to know more about most Internet users than their closest friends or family! In fact, that company is in the business of aggregating as much knowledge about people as possible. It is one of the richest companies and one of the most powerful companies with strong government lobbying activities. Compared to them, the NSA is nothing. The NSA has to get its data with huge efforts. This company has it much easier: People give it all its data readily, and it is one of the most popular companies on the planet and has a better reputation with people than their own elected governments. People voluntarily buy telescreens with that company's software on it. So all prerequisites for a power grab are in place. That's what you should worry about.
 

Poesn

macrumors newbie
Apr 25, 2015
19
6
Second, at least in theory, the NSA is able to break any encryption. Breaking encryption is always just a matter of raw computing power. If you are important enough for the NSA that they really want to monitor your communication, then they would be able to do so. IT security is never perfect, but it is always a matter of making it so difficult for an "attacker" that the effort to decrypt your communication is prohibitive, and the cost is higher than the benefit. I think he cost for getting to your fingerprints and voice profiles is higher for the NSA than the benefit they would get out of it.

That is just not true. If you write a standard RSA encryption you can use all the computing power in the world and still need a hundred thousand years to break the encryption. There MAY be ways to get around it but it's highly unlikely.

Now if apple works with or for them or whatever there can be an easy backdoor.
 
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