FBI: 1 Apple:0. The iPhone has been cracked

[JamesStone]

Well, it's official. The FBI managed to crack the iPhone without Apple's assistance, and has dropped the case in court, citing help from an independent party to do it

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35914195

John McAffee hasn't said anything yet, but some theorize he's the one who helped the FBI, because of his public proposal a few weeks early.

What do you think?

 

[Fappy]

I'm still shocked the FBI had such a hard time with this. Considering their equipment and how many security experts they have, you'd think it would be a breeze.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Not sure exactly how this was an FBI win. The FBI wanted a one stop skeleton key that would unlock every Apple product ever made or to be made. What they got was a security exploit from a third party that will likely be found by Apple and fixed within months.

It's basically just a return to the status quo - Hackers, whether it be people looking for your credit card information and personal nudes, or governments looking for terrorist data, are hacking into phones, and electronics manufacturers continue to try and plug the inevitable security leaks. Sounds like a draw at worst, and a win for Apple at best.

 

[BrawlMan]

Not sure exactly how this was an FBI win. The FBI wanted a one stop skeleton key that would unlock every Apple product ever made or to be made. What they got was a security exploit from a third party that will likely be found by Apple and fixed within months.

It's basically just a return to the status quo - Hackers, whether it be people looking for your credit card information and personal nudes, or governments looking for terrorist data, are hacking into phones, and electronics manufacturers continue to try and plug the inevitable security leaks. Sounds like a draw at worst, and a win for Apple at best.

Yeah, feels like a Pyrrhic victory that leads them back to square one.

 

[Disco Biscuit]

Do you know what it was that the FBI wanted? They got nothing here except a thrashing in the press. The original premise was that the FBI always could do this, remember?

 

[IceForce]

Soooo, after all this effort, the posturing, and the to-ing and fro-ing from all parties, do we actually know yet what was even ON the phone after all this?

Because it wouldn't surprise me if it was just full of cat videos or something.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Not sure exactly how this was an FBI win. The FBI wanted a one stop skeleton key that would unlock every Apple product ever made or to be made. What they got was a security exploit from a third party that will likely be found by Apple and fixed within months.

It's basically just a return to the status quo - Hackers, whether it be people looking for your credit card information and personal nudes, or governments looking for terrorist data, are hacking into phones, and electronics manufacturers continue to try and plug the inevitable security leaks. Sounds like a draw at worst, and a win for Apple at best.

Basically this.

There was some Cambridge chap on the radio talking about how the FBI could definitely do this without having Apple make a 'backdoor'. Essentially they were exploiting this case to make their life easier in future, and Apple weren't happy about that. As far as I know, Apple still aren't doing that so they haven't really lost- Apple weren't concerned with keeping that one particular terrorist's phone secure, they were fighting against in-built security flaws for all of their customers.

 

[Silvanus]

Because it wouldn't surprise me if it was just full of cat videos or something.

Maybe that's what they were after. They are super entertaining.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

So Apple did not jeopardize the security of their devices, which means they won. This is assuming everyone is telling the truth here, which they likely aren't.

 

[RJ 17]

Yeah, I'm with those who would say that if anything this is a win for Apple. The stood their ground in refusing to make a back-door key that works for all Apple devices and in the end they did not have to. They achieved their desired result at the end of the day.

Considering how the FBI didn't achieve their desired result - getting the aforementioned back-door key - this would actually go down as a loss for them. But they did get into the phone, so it's a good idea to drop the case and return to the status quo due to the fact that the public was almost unanimously on Apple's side in this one.

....not that public perception has ever stopped a government agency from doing anything shady, just saying.

 

[madwarper]

So Apple did not jeopardize the security of their devices, which means they won.

I'm not sure I'd call this a win for Apple.

Sure, they didn't take any action to make their devices less secure than they already were.
However, if the FBI were able to crack the iPhone without them, then doesn't that mean they found an exploit to get into any existing Apple product they wanted to? Which would mean the Apple products are less secure than their consumer base assumed them to be.

So, at best, I'd say it was a wash for Apple, if not detrimental to them.

And, I highly doubt that the FBI would release the details about the exploit they're using as they wouldn't want Apple to patch it out.

However, there's how many locked iPhones sitting in evidence in New York? Is the FBI going to simply unlock them for the DA? How would that affect the chain of custody if the FBI doesn't release what their exploit was they used to unlock the iPhone?

This is assuming everyone is telling the truth here, which they likely aren't.

Of course.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

See I just assumed this was a dog and pony show, and the FBI had a way to crack the iPhone from the very beginning. And they were looking for Apple to cover their ass and validate them, but it backfired and the Feds eventually said Fuck it!

 

[DoPo]

I mean, does anyone seriously have confidential data in their phone of all things, not a static computer, but a small device that is carried everywhere.

Yes. Any data I have not granted you, or anybody, access to is, by definition, not for you, or anybody, to have access to.

 

[Sic Transit Gloria]

Well, it's official. The FBI managed to crack the iPhone without Apple's assistance, and has dropped the case in court, citing help from an independent party to do it

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35914195

John McAffee hasn't said anything yet, but some theorize he's the one who helped the FBI, because of his public proposal a few weeks early.

What do you think?

I think that not only have you gloriously missed the point of what the FBI were after, and how badly they failed, but you also threw in that odd piece about McAffee as though he were not deranged. There is an Israeli company that was tapped apparently, not some random speed head.

Whenever I hear about the subject I think of Cartman yelling that people "invade ma' privacy" while twiterring every time he takes a shit. I mean, does anyone seriously have confidential data in their phone of all things, not a static computer, but a small device that is carried everywhere.

YES! Maybe someone has noted for a new semiconductor dopant, or other proprietary information, or maybe they're cheating on their spouse, who knows?! You don't, and you don't need to.

 

[Hoplon]

Well, it's official. The FBI managed to crack the iPhone without Apple's assistance, and has dropped the case in court, citing help from an independent party to do it

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35914195

John McAffee hasn't said anything yet, but some theorize he's the one who helped the FBI, because of his public proposal a few weeks early.

What do you think?

We know an Israeli firm that specialise in this stuff helped them. and that this exact thing was what apple where arguing that they where barely one step ahead of.

 

[Sic Transit Gloria]

Well, it's official. The FBI managed to crack the iPhone without Apple's assistance, and has dropped the case in court, citing help from an independent party to do it

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35914195

John McAffee hasn't said anything yet, but some theorize he's the one who helped the FBI, because of his public proposal a few weeks early.

What do you think?

We know an Israeli firm that specialise in this stuff helped them. and that this exact thing was what apple where arguing that they where barely one step ahead of.

Not to mention that this suddenly puts the shoe, however awkwardly, on the other foot.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/03/fbi-breaks-iphone-and-we-have-some-questions

In addition, this new method of accessing the phone raises questions about the government?s apparent use of security vulnerabilities in iOS and whether it will inform Apple about these vulnerabilities. As a panel of experts hand-picked by the White House recognized, any decision to withhold a security vulnerability for intelligence or law enforcement purposes leaves ordinary users at risk from malicious third parties who also may use the vulnerability. Thanks to a lawsuit by EFF, the government has released its official policy for determining when to disclose security vulnerabilities, the Vulnerabilities Equities Process (VEP).

If the FBI used a vulnerability to get into the iPhone in the San Bernardino case, the VEP must apply, meaning that there should be a very strong bias in favor of informing Apple of the vulnerability. That would allow Apple to fix the flaw and protect the security of all its users. We look forward to seeing more transparency on this issue as well.

 

[Sic Transit Gloria]

I mean, does anyone seriously have confidential data in their phone of all things, not a static computer, but a small device that is carried everywhere.

Yes. Any data I have not granted you, or anybody, access to is, by definition, not for you, or anybody, to have access to.

But is it information that the FBI would have actual use for?

YES! Maybe someone has noted for a new semiconductor dopant, or other proprietary information, or maybe they're cheating on their spouse, who knows?! You don't, and you don't need to.

If an organization sends classified information over iphones then they deserve it to get leaked. As for cheating on a spouse I'm pretty sure the FBI can come into far stronger information with less trouble.

Who said anything about classified? I said propriety. BIG FUCKING DIFFERENCE.