Apple Won't Create 'Backdoor' to Help FBI Access San Bernardino Shooter's iPhone

[ArcadiaGP]

Google CEO comes out in support of Apple

Google?s CEO just sided with Apple in the encryption debate | The Verge

 

[JTScribe]

Late to the thread, but I look at it like this -

It would be like the FBI saying to a locksmith, we need you to pick this one safe, here's a warrant. That's perfectly Constitutional.

But they're not saying that. They're saying, hey, make us a skeleton key we can use on EVERY safe, because reasons.

I question why they can't just take the phone to Apple HQ to maintain physical custody, let Apple clone the phone (the encryption is hardware based, IIRC, on that model, so they literally can't change it via firmware) or somehow duplicate the software so they can attempt to crack it. It seems like the FBI is overreaching. Karl @ Market Ticker has a couple of typically good takes on the subject.

https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=231125

https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=231127

https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=231126

 

[JettaKnight]

NPR had a pretty good story this morning on this.

 

[jbombelli]

Now to await the next big distraction, during which some congressperson adds an amendment to a spending bill requiring backdoors in smart phones.

 

[Cameramonkey]

And how is this not already exploited to hell and back to destroy people's data, with iphones randomly wiping themselves everywhere?

I would think this would be a pretty major means of harassment.

Because you cant unlock them programmatically. You have to have the phone in your hand and press the wrong code over and over.

As an IT guy, the lack of remote control is what I despise in Apple devices. Until last year, they had the opinion that absolutely ZERO corporations buy iDevices. The ONLY buyers are individuals that take part in BYOD programs where they work so the company has absolutely no right to do anything to your device. (even if it truly isnt yours and the company bought it) Last year they finally started moving toward corporate ownership of the devices and created separate spaces for user personal/health data and everything else. God I cant wait until we get back to the control of the Crackberries. I loved those things... you could do ANYTHING to them if they were connected to your C&C server. Wipe, push/pull software, change configs, etc. The user could be a user and never had to do ANYTHING adminstratively. Now we have to email them and ask them pretty please to do this procedure to bring it into compliance. So frustrating. /rant

 

[printcraft]

His long after they get this key before its out in the open?
I would bet under a month. Hell .gov can't even keep data safe on air gap networks.
Apple would be shooting themselves in the head doing this.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Because you cant unlock them programmatically. You have to have the phone in your hand and press the wrong code over and over.

As an IT guy, the lack of remote control is what I despise in Apple devices. Until last year, they had the opinion that absolutely ZERO corporations buy iDevices. The ONLY buyers are individuals that take part in BYOD programs where they work so the company has absolutely no right to do anything to your device. (even if it truly isnt yours and the company bought it) Last year they finally started moving toward corporate ownership of the devices and created separate spaces for user personal/health data and everything else. God I cant wait until we get back to the control of the Crackberries. I loved those things... you could do ANYTHING to them if they were connected to your C&C server. Wipe, push/pull software, change configs, etc. The user could be a user and never had to do ANYTHING adminstratively. Now we have to email them and ask them pretty please to do this procedure to bring it into compliance. So frustrating. /rant

We can remotely wipe Android devices if they're connected via ActiveSync to our Exchange. Pretty sure the option is there for iOS devices as well?

Here's one of my iPhone users. This is Exchange 2007... but I've worked places with Exchange 2010, and it had even more options. We're rolling out 365 next month, so I'm curious what's included in that as far as handling ActiveSync connected devices...

In 2007, this might just wipe the activesync data... but 2010 has the capability to wipe the entire device and lock it down. Every user gets a warning they have to accept before the activesync works on their phone.

Having a BES server was nice. It's pretty powerful in what it would allow you to manage on the BBs. We got rid of ours here, since we only had one user remaining on it. Everyone is now Android/iPhone.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

The user could be a user and never had to do ANYTHING adminstratively. Now we have to email them and ask them pretty please to do this procedure to bring it into compliance. So frustrating. /rant

My personal favorite is the guy who always ignores the instructions for updating, then you get the "this thing isn't working right" call, and he thinks he's doing you a favor not getting upset about his device "not working".

 

[ArcadiaGP]

John McAfee: 'I'll decrypt the San Bernardino phone for free so Apple doesn't need to place a back door on its product'

 

[Rookie]

John McAfee: 'I'll decrypt the San Bernardino phone for free so Apple doesn't need to place a back door on its product'

I'd bet that they couldn't be any less interested in that offer.

 

[Tombs]

John McAfee: 'I'll decrypt the San Bernardino phone for free so Apple doesn't need to place a back door on its product'

He cites using social engineering.

Guess the government spooks are too socially awkward to accomplish that.

 

[actaeon277]

Google CEO comes out in support of Apple

Google?s CEO just sided with Apple in the encryption debate | The Verge

Would this be the same Google that censors their search engine in China?

 

[mrjarrell]

And, another would be tyrant sides with the government. Rafael "Ted" Cruz says Apple should do what the .gov wants. Screw him. He should go back to Canada.

https://reason.com/blog/2016/02/18/ted-cruz-says-apple-needs-to-comply-with

 

[Cameramonkey]

We can remotely wipe Android devices if they're connected via ActiveSync to our Exchange. Pretty sure the option is there for iOS devices as well?

Here's one of my iPhone users. This is Exchange 2007... but I've worked places with Exchange 2010, and it had even more options. We're rolling out 365 next month, so I'm curious what's included in that as far as handling ActiveSync connected devices...

In 2007, this might just wipe the activesync data... but 2010 has the capability to wipe the entire device and lock it down. Every user gets a warning they have to accept before the activesync works on their phone.

Having a BES server was nice. It's pretty powerful in what it would allow you to manage on the BBs. We got rid of ours here, since we only had one user remaining on it. Everyone is now Android/iPhone.

Oh yeah, I can remote wipe. But I cant force configs like wireless profiles, apps, specific settings, etc. If I want to "force" the few things I can push down with a MDM, the end user still has final veto. "wireless policy is being installed." with two buttons, allow/deny.

And we have already had one app break. Luckily its still in development and not production, so it was no big deal. But the ability to prevent a user from upgrading the OS phone that I own (its mine as a company, bought and paid for with company funds, not theirs) would be a HUGE benefit.

I'm just waiting for the day a year or two from now when an end user (or multiple users) ignore the hold policy on a newly released iOS and it temporarily and effectively bricks their phone because the app they use to do their job isnt compatible and now wont work. And Apple wont typically let you downgrade to a the previous iOS unless there is a massive worldwide failure. My 900 devices wouldnt even be a blip on their radar to allow us to roll back so those users would be stuck until the incompatible app was upgraded and made it through the apple store vetting process. (up to 4 weeks)

 

[1DOWN4UP]

A lib company not in bed with the Kenyan? Right! It is a smoke screen so they don't look like rats.They already checked the phone and there is nothing in it. It is a sales gimmick for the future.

 

[Lowe0]

He cites using social engineering.

Guess the government spooks are too socially awkward to accomplish that.

Social engineering is usually quite effective, but I'm not sure how well it works on the deceased. (Unless he means he's going to infiltrate Apple and get both the private key and iOS source.)

 

[JettaKnight]

John McAfee: 'I'll decrypt the San Bernardino phone for free so Apple doesn't need to place a back door on its product'

Good golly John's full of himself.

If you doubt my credentials, Google "cybersecurity legend" and see whose name is the only name that appears in the first 10 results out of more than a quarter of a million.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Good golly John's full of himself.

Googled it.

Checks out.

If you doubt my credentials, google "GPIA7R" and see who shows up in the top million results.

Edit: ... I just learned I'm in a tag on Tumblr, and I don't even use tumblr.

 

[eldirector]

Interesting.... I am not in the first page of "eldirector" AT ALL. Good.

 

[BugI02]

Egosurfing (also Googling yourself, vanity searching, egosearching, egogoogling, autogoogling, self-googling) is the practice of searching for one's own name, or pseudonym on a popular search engine in order to review the results.