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from the it-was-an-error,-not-exageration,-honest! dept.
Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
For the past several months, the FBI has been claiming that encryption has prevented the agency from accessing around 7,000 mobile devices connected to various crimes.
On Tuesday, the FBI told PCMag that a programming error resulted in a "significant overcounting" of the encrypted devices. "The FBI is currently conducting an in-depth review of how this over-counting previously occurred," the agency said in a statement.
The news was first reported by The Washington Post, which said the correct number is probably between 1,000 and 2,000 devices. One internal estimate from the FBI puts the figure at 1,200, but the agency plans to launch an audit to get the full number, The Post said, citing unnamed sources.
The mistake seriously undercuts one of the FBI's central arguments in the ongoing encryption debate. For years now, the agency has been pushing for what critics call a "backdoor" into smartphone products that'll let federal agents easily unlock mobile devices tied to crimes. Without such access, some investigations may grind to halt, the agency claims.
[...] How did the FBI make the mistake? According to the agency, starting in April 2016, it began using a new "collection methodology" with how it counted the encrypted devices. But only recently did the FBI become aware of flaws in the methodology, it said, without elaborating.
Source: https://www.pcmag.com/news/361357/oops-fbi-inflated-the-number-of-encrypted-devices-it-cant
Also at CNET and TechCrunch
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Thursday May 24 2018, @04:42AM (3 children)
Reports are Crooked Hillary used 13 phones. Obama's crooked FBI got ZERO. That's not even a number.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 24 2018, @05:30AM
Isn't Zero the digit for "Countless"? No count. None. Zip. Nada....
So when the TV ad-man implores us to "Join the countless people who have lost weight with our pills!", you know what he just said.... no one lost any weight.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 24 2018, @03:01PM
Should have used 7 proxies [knowyourmeme.com] instead.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 24 2018, @03:02PM
You're just jealous that Crooked Hillary is smart enough to use 13 phones when you can even manage one and she's a better golfer.