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FBI Failed to Access 7,000 Encrypted Mobile Devices

posted by takyon on Monday October 23 2017, @10:10PM   Printer-friendly
from the world's-tiniest-violin-ringtone dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

FBI failed to access 7,000 encrypted mobile devices

Agents at the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been unable to extract data from nearly 7,000 mobile devices they have tried to access, the agency's director has said.

Christopher Wray said encryption on devices was "a huge, huge problem" for FBI investigations. The agency had failed to access more than half of the devices it targeted in an 11-month period, he said.

One cyber-security expert said such encryption was now a "fact of life". Many smartphones encrypt their contents when locked, as standard - a security feature that often prevents even the phones' manufacturers from accessing data. Such encryption is different to end-to-end encryption, which prevents interception of communications on a large scale.

Cyber-security expert Prof Alan Woodward at the University of Surrey said device encryption was clearly frustrating criminal investigations but it would be impractical and insecure to develop "back doors" or weakened security.

In a time when the government is committing criminal acts, is it not advisable for citizens to do what they can to protect themselves from that crime?

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  • (Score: 4, Funny) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Monday October 23 2017, @10:16PM (4 children)

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Monday October 23 2017, @10:16PM (#586610) Homepage Journal

    I disabled the login password on my iPhone 7. Now it opens right up to the desktop - is it called "desktop" on iOS devices?

    My setting is as G-d and Nature intended.

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
    Starting Score:    1  point
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    Extra 'Funny' Modifier   0  
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  • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday October 23 2017, @10:26PM

    by Freeman (732) on Monday October 23 2017, @10:26PM (#586614) Journal

    It's a "Home Screen" as desktop doesn't really fit the nature of the beast. The reason for the password, isn't to restrict your "Freedom". It's to restrict a thief's "Freedom" to access your information. I have read your stances on the topic and I'm pretty sure you already know all the arguments against it. I'm also glad that No password is an option.

    --
    Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 23 2017, @11:54PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 23 2017, @11:54PM (#586655)

    My GoFundMe campaign [gofundme.com].

    I donated. Anyone else able to chip in? Any other Soylent ACs able to help the one, the only MDC?

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 24 2017, @06:47PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 24 2017, @06:47PM (#586995)

    Could 2017 be the year of desktop on the iPhone?