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And yet, with all the broad surveillance powers they were given, Boston, Paris, San Bernadio etc. still happened. And there is no evidence whatsoever that weak encryption could have prevented any of them (in fact, the Paris terrorists are known to have communicated "in the open" using SMS).

For every example you listed, there are a hundred that were stopped before they were executed. It's just another tool to use to stop them.
 
Wait, is the title of this article correct? It's too late to create a backdoor for accessing the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone. This is about whether Apple creates a backdoor for future investigations.

Edit: Oh, never mind. Read carefully:

Specifically, the FBI wants us to make a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation. In the wrong hands, this software -- which does not exist today -- would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone's physical possession.

So there's already a backdoor! If Apple can do this, can't anyone do it?
 
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For every example you listed, there are a hundred that were stopped before they were executed. It's just another tool to use to stop them.
Do you have any proof that a single one has been or could have been prevented only using this particular tool?
 
There just needs to be a way for Apple, when handed a warrant and an iPhone, to be able to upload code to the phone that bypasses the "10 try PIN lock".
And you prevent others from hijacking this method....how?

:rolleyes:
 
It seems YOU don't get it. There doesn't have to be a "backdoor" in every iPhone to make this work for law enforcement. There just needs to be a way for Apple, when handed a warrant and an iPhone, to be able to upload code to the phone that bypasses the "10 try PIN lock". Then hand the phone back and let the FBI brute force the PIN , get in, and get their evidence, LEGALLY.

There are more ways than the imagination can think of for Apple to implement this securely and keep it to themselves. It doesn't have to be something the FBI or anyone physically gets to keep.

I'm not a programmer, but either something like this is IMPOSSIBLE to do (in which case why are we worrying), or if it is, it has probably already been thought of, developed, tested and is sitting in a secure, encrypted software vault at Apple.


There isn't a way to break the current encryption. This one iPhone is a smokescreen for making Apple write code into future versions of iOS to circumvent the encryption.

This WILL affect all future iPhones able to run that modified release.

It seems YOU do not get it.

Again, the encryption within current iPhones is so secure that it cannot be realistically broken. It's tied to various parts of the hardware, and pin code that all work together, if any part is compromised, the data will not be accessed.
 
Do you have any proof that a single one has been or could have been prevented only using this particular tool?
What a ridiculous question. But back at you, do you have any proof that there isn't something on that phone from the SB terrorist that would stop another attack? I mean, really...:rolleyes:
 
Speaking about this being for the benefit of the US authorities and citizens and against terrorists from a US perspective is naïve. USA is a part of a much larger planet, where iPhones are also sold. We know that the US definition of a terrorist differs from the Saudi Arabian definition of a terrorist, which differs from a Russian definition, which differs from the Chinese or the North Korean definition.

Look at the Arab Spring; how mobile data and metadata was used against protesters ("terrorists" in the eyes of the respective governments), using hardware and software functions (both regular, known features and "back doors") provided by companies like Siemens, Ericsson and TeliaSonera. How do proponents of "safety" before data security view the atrocities committed against various democracy and freedom of speech movements? And I repeat: These atrocities were made possible by such "features" as the FBI are trying to force Apple to construct.

What I'm trying to say is this: Any backdoor must be considered widely available, because by design you won't likely know whether someone else is using it. Are you so sure no government disagrees with you that you're prepared to take the risk that any government you and your data happens to pass through can view it and hold you responsible for it?


The second issue is this: The police and governments of various countries won't be the only ones using or attempting to use the backdoor: We regularly read about criminal organizations stealing information about thousands of credit cards and/or their owners, and making millions from selling such information. Such data is stolen from systems whose owners/creators actually tried to keep secure. Imagine what such criminal groups could do if they could attack the collective iOS user base, knowing that there was a consciously planted backdoor to their iCloud Keychains, potentially to their iCloud Wallets, to their entire personal histories...

And of course, the "honest people have nothing to hide" crowd conveniently forgets that strong encryption with no backdoors is freely available to anyone with the least bit of interest in securing their communications and data. It isn't as conveniently packaged as the iPhone encryption, but it's not that hard to implement if you care about such things - and as usual, why would a criminal care if such encryption would be outlawed? Opening up iOS would just make the real bad guys move to other platforms while leaving the general population open to attacks from all vectors.
 
What a ridiculous question. But back at you, do you have any proof that there isn't something on that phone from the SB terrorist that would stop another attack? I mean, really...:rolleyes:
If you want to compromise the privacy and security of the entire population, the burden of proof is on you that what you propose is actually effective.
 
There isn't a way to break the current encryption. This one iPhone is a smokescreen for making Apple write code into future versions of iOS to circumvent the encryption.

This WILL affect all future iPhones able to run that modified release.

It seems YOU do not get it.

Again, the encryption within current iPhones is so secure that it cannot be realistically broken. It's tied to various parts of the hardware, and pin code that all work together, if any part is compromised, the data will not be accessed.

Could you please post the link to the technical document from Apple that explains this? I'd like to see with my own eyes that software engineers (the same ones that wrote iOS) couldn't change even one portion (bypassing the pin code lock) to allow brute force PIN guessing and ultimately unlock an iPhone. It has nothing to do with breaking the encryption...we know that's not possible.
 
Could you please post the link to the technical document from Apple that explains this? I'd like to see with my own eyes that software engineers (the same ones that wrote iOS) couldn't change even one portion (bypassing the pin code lock) to allow brute force PIN guessing and ultimately unlock an iPhone. It has nothing to do with breaking the encryption...we know that's not possible.

I mean, none of this really matters because apparently, Apple is able to make a new iOS without security and install it on this captured iPhone 5c. Says Tim Cook. Seems like that circumvents all the complex "secure enclave" hardware-level security the iPhone has, or at least makes it much easier to get through. I'm guessing they want unlimited tries to guess the 4-digit code.
 
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Not the case here: Monsters are already DEAD! No trial to be had. No reason to jeopardize the privacy of MILLIONS. The government is using this case as an excuse.

No, you lot are wearing tin foil hats and are on the verge of supporting crime in the name of privacy.

Well then, let's just wait for Google or anyone else to take the same stance. I'm sure it will suddenly become a noble and principled decision...

Straw man argument, and FYI no I would not support anyone else taking the same stance, they have yet to play their cards on the matter though.

So your saying I have to lose my freedom to protect my freedom. I mean I understand an argument that was, I lose my freedom to protect my safety. There is a logic there, not one I in anyway agree with, but still logical. Losing you freedom to protect your freedom, makes no sense.

I think you have plenty of freedom, you just take it for granted and you are given up 'privacy', don't twist the words into 'freedom'.

Not the case here: Monsters are already DEAD! No trial to be had. No reason to jeopardize the privacy of MILLIONS. The government is using this case as an excuse.

Excuse for what? Just cause the terrorists are dead, so I just read, is not an excuse.
You lot are so utterly paranoid conspiracy theorists, do you all have something to hide? I live in a country with thousands and thousands of cameras, your internet browsing and emails are recorded by service providers and the government snoops on you in other ways too, the country is England, and I can bet you a million dollars if you send an email to a UK address or browse a UK website it's recorded.
But guess what? No one cares, we aren't all so paranoid with things to hide, unlike seemingly US citizens?

Perhaps you should have another 9/11 to realise if you want utter security you will need to give up some privacy, and it is up to you as a country to demand and ensure the data is protected like in the UK, where currently they do need a court order to access it.

But at the moment, the FBI wants to access ONE iPhone (Now remember folks this is something Apple have recently claimed a third party repair shop CAN DO!) to help a terrorist case, a case where 14 americans were killed, and Apple has said NO, how do you think the rest of the world sees Apple as when they say that?

Tell me, what, exactly, do you think the FBI is going to do with your data? How is Apple giving the FBI access going to mean everyone on the planet can access your data? I am confused why the paranoia?
 
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This is certainly not my area of expertise, but if this "master key" is truly something that can be created, what is stopping someone out there from creating it? Does Apple have some sort of proprietary iOS code that prevents this?
 
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Could you please post the link to the technical document from Apple that explains this? I'd like to see with my own eyes that software engineers (the same ones that wrote iOS) couldn't change even one portion (bypassing the pin code lock) to allow brute force PIN guessing and ultimately unlock an iPhone. It has nothing to do with breaking the encryption...we know that's not possible.

Not from an Apple engineer, but from someone who explains it in depth:
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/2...ters-iphone-to-create-new-backdoor.shtml#c851
 
This is certainly not my area of expertise, but if this "master key" is truly something that can be created, what is stopping someone out there from creating it? Does Apple have some sort of proprietary iOS code that prevents this?
It sounds like security through obscurity, meaning only Apple can make it because of secrets, but secrets can get out, or people can figure them out. That is, it's not real security. I'm surprised the comments aren't filled with questions like yours and mine. Seems people are more focused on the ethics of this.
 
Or the guilt of the next terror attack is on you.
Right. :rolleyes: This is not a question of guilt, but of effectiveness. I think all the billions that are being spent on mass surveillance would be better spent on more man power for real investigations. We know exactly how Boston and Paris could have been prevented, and it's not weaker encryption. The information was out there in the open, but nobody followed up on it. Of course nobody likes to admit failure, so they blame Apple and Samsung for making their phones secure.
 
If the photos, emails, documents, etc. on that device can potentially create another 9/11 (because terrorist can use the backdoor to get info from key personnel's stolen phone), wouldn't you want law enforcement to prevent it?

People don't understand that this is a double edged sword. Just babbling away.
 
Hope you loose Tim Cook. My safety comes first
Your safety is far more dependent on having your personal information secure than the FBI and or random hackers being able to get into whoever's phone they want. If you want your information out there for your security how about you post all of the credit card numbers that you use in apple pay, all information about your bank accounts from banking apps on your phone, as well as all of the personal information that can be gleaned from reading through your text messages.
 
There isn't a way to break the current encryption. This one iPhone is a smokescreen for making Apple write code into future versions of iOS to circumvent the encryption.

This WILL affect all future iPhones able to run that modified release.

It seems YOU do not get it.

Again, the encryption within current iPhones is so secure that it cannot be realistically broken. It's tied to various parts of the hardware, and pin code that all work together, if any part is compromised, the data will not be accessed.
Below is literally what Apple said, which makes it sound like it's technically possible, but they won't do it.

If what the FBI wants them to do is impossible, why wouldn't Apple just say it's impossible, instead of basically saying "we COULD do exactly what the FBI wants, but we're not going to"?

Specifically, the FBI wants us to make a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation. In the wrong hands, this software — which does not exist today — would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession.
 
It sounds like security through obscurity, meaning only Apple can make it because of secrets, but secrets can get out, or people can figure them out. That is, it's not real security. I'm surprised the comments aren't filled with questions like yours and mine. Seems people are more focused on the ethics of this.
The system iOS uses is pretty hard to crack as per @Binarymix's link. But it would be possible to create an iOS version which is written in a way that weakens security, for example by creating encryption keys from a limited pool of numbers. That would change the iOS security into security by obscurity - basically your data would only be safe as long as very few and dependable people know the particulars of the number pool.
 
No.

What you describe is impossible. If a backdoor is there, others will find it.

You wanna open up vulnerabilities on every iPhone in the world that could be used for illegal surveillance, hacks by rogue governments, identity theft, etc?

No thanks.

Sorry, but a few lives lost are not worth all of us giving up our right to maintaining security and privacy of our personal data.

If we want to save lives, we should be focusing on preventable causes, nor sacrificing our rights and privacy to catch a unicorn.

You're right, my privacy is worth far more than the lives of you or your family. I couldn't care less if you and your entire family were butchered and the key to solving the crime was on a locked Iphone. Plus the encryption helps me sell drugs and traffic women.
 
It seems YOU don't get it. There doesn't have to be a "backdoor" in every iPhone to make this work for law enforcement. There just needs to be a way for Apple, when handed a warrant and an iPhone, to be able to upload code to the phone that bypasses the "10 try PIN lock". Then hand the phone back and let the FBI brute force the PIN , get in, and get their evidence, LEGALLY.

There are more ways than the imagination can think of for Apple to implement this securely and keep it to themselves. It doesn't have to be something the FBI or anyone physically gets to keep.

I'm not a programmer, but either something like this is IMPOSSIBLE to do (in which case why are we worrying), or if it is, it has probably already been thought of, developed, tested and is sitting in a secure, encrypted software vault at Apple.

But if Apple puts a way in the software to disable the auto erase, it could be used by anyone. Then it just becomes pointless, and everyone's iOS devices would then be vulnerable to a brute force attack.
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You're right, my privacy is worth far more than the lives of you or your family. I couldn't care less if you and your entire family were butchered and the key to solving the crime was on a locked Iphone. Plus the encryption helps me sell drugs and traffic women.

Nice appeal to emotion fallacy.

"Why won't you think of the children??!?!?"
 
The system iOS uses is pretty hard to crack as per @Binarymix's link. But it would be possible to create an iOS version which is written in a way that weakens security, for example by creating encryption keys from a limited pool of numbers. That would change the iOS security into security by obscurity - basically your data would only be safe as long as very few and dependable people know the particulars of the number pool.
Also, in the end, you unlock it by knowing a 4-digit numeric code. Seems that iOS tries to make that unguessable using guess throttling, and apparently, it's possible to disable that. 4 digits is only 10K possibilities, easy to break.
 
Also, in the end, you unlock it by knowing a 4-digit numeric code. Seems that iOS tries to make that unguessable using guess throttling, and apparently, it's possible to disable that. 4 digits is only 10K possibilities, easy to break.
Sounds like the FBI wants a special version of iOS that doesn't have the "guess throttling" created and loaded onto this one phone so they can go through and try all of the possibilities without being slowed down after bad guesses, IMO.

IIRC, recent versions of iOS have been prompting people for 6 digit PIN codes by default, and showing them that they can make them even more complex. So who knows if it's even 4 digits on this phone?
 
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