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Judge Orders Apple to Unlock iPhone Belonging to San Bernardino Shooter
Apple has been ordered to assist in the unlocking of an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters. This may require updating the firmware to bypass restrictions on PIN unlock attempts:
Apple must assist the FBI in unlocking the passcode-protected encrypted iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters in California. US magistrate Sheri Pym says Cupertino must supply software that prevents the phone from automatically annihilating its user data when too many password attempts have been made.
The smartphone belonged to Syed Farook, who with his wife Tashfeen Malik shot and killed 14 coworkers on December 2. The couple died in a gun battle with police soon after. Cops have been unable to access Syed's iPhone 5C because they do not know the correct PIN, and will now gain the assistance of Apple, as ordered by Judge Pym [PDF] on Tuesday.
iOS 8 and above encrypts data on devices, requiring a four to six-digit PIN to unlock. After the first few wrong guesses, iOS waits a few minutes between accepting further PIN entry attempts, escalating to an hour's delay after the ninth failed login.
[...] Judge Pym wants Apple to come up with some magic software – perhaps a signed firmware update or something else loaded during boot-up – that will allow the FBI to safely brute-force the PIN entry without the device self-destructing. This code must only work on Farook's phone, identified by its serial numbers, and no other handset. The code must only be run on government or Apple property, and must not slow down the brute-forcing process.
Apple has five days to appeal or demonstrate that it cannot comply with the order. It is crucial to note that the central district court of California has not instructed Apple to crack its encryption – instead it wants Apple to provide a tool to effectively bypass the unlocking mechanism. "It's technically possible for Apple to hack a device's PIN, wipe, and other functions. Question is can they be legally forced to hack," said iOS security expert Jonathan Ździarski.
Apple Ordered to Aid FBI in Unlocking Shooter's iPhone
According to this Reuters article, "A U.S. judge on Tuesday ordered Apple Inc to help the FBI break into a phone recovered from one of the San Bernardino shooters, an order that heightens a long-running dispute between tech companies and law enforcement over the limits of encryption.
Apple must provide "reasonable technical assistance" to investigators seeking to unlock the data on an iPhone 5C that had been owned by Syed Rizwan Farook, Judge Sheri Pym of U.S. District Court in Los Angeles said in a ruling."
"...Forensics expert Jonathan Zdziarski said Tuesday Apple might have to write custom code to comply with the order, presenting a novel question to the court about whether the government could order a private company to hack its own device.
Zdziarski said that because the San Bernardino shooting was being investigated as a terrorism case, investigators would be able to work with the NSA and CIA on cracking the phone. Those U.S. intelligence agencies likely could break the iPhone's encryption without Apple's involvement, he said."
Update: EFF to file an amicus brief in support of Apple's position.
Update 2: mendax writes: The New York Times has some "breaking news" which says that Apple will not comply with the judge's order. It's a good way to get in trouble with the judge but it's the right decision on Apple's part.
Previously: FBI Unable to Decrypt California Terrorists' Cell Phone
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Alfred on Wednesday February 17 2016, @02:49PM
So it is possible that they have already cracked the phone via some established method and are acting on the leads already. Then why make a public stink about this supposed difficulty? To build the image that iPhones are really secure so more people of interest will get iPhones which are readily cracked by that established method the government already has.
It wouldn't be the first time a lie has been made to drive people to a disadvantaged position.
(Score: 2) by tizan on Wednesday February 17 2016, @04:52PM
You watch too many Hollywood or X-files type of shows.
My answer: "Hanlon Razor"
Sorry i doubt the FBI has such institutional intelligence (or malice).
Their agents are known as "Fry Bread Inspectors" for some good reasons in the Southwest......ok may be there are a few intelligent ones somewhere...but the majority are not IQ 170 with culture or who are well versed about the history of the world etc as you see in movies !
It took them nearly 2 months to deal with stupid nutcases at the Malheur Refuge. Yes I am not surprised it is taking them months to get into the phone of somebody.
(Score: 2) by Alfred on Wednesday February 17 2016, @05:57PM
Consider the high profile cases the FBI has, the ones that will bring scrutiny on the FBI. No bureaucrat wants scrutiny. Assume that for the thousands of agents they have that they have 2 or 3 real smart ones. Wouldn't you want at least one of those smart ones to be available for high profile cases like this? (wondering what the other 2 are always working on all the time is another question) Even a bad manager pulls in guys to help to avoid being scrutinized.
Maybe I am overestimating the collaboration between them and the NSA who would already have it open.
We could also say to not attribute to stupidity what can be attributed to greed. Apple will surely sell more phones by this advertising of their security whether or not they are secure or in bed with the NSA.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 17 2016, @06:09PM
> It took them nearly 2 months to deal with stupid nutcases at the Malheur Refuge.
That is not an indictment of the FBI. Not every problem has an immediate solution. The pulled it off with only one death, of a guy who sure seemed to have a deathwish given his videos. It sure was a better result than Ruby Ridge and Waco.
(Score: 2) by tizan on Wednesday February 17 2016, @11:08PM
But FBI from hollywood would have night vision, dart guns etc etc...they would have gone after one member after another in the night.
With some smart good looking person manipulating the whole thing...
then release them make the others think they are snitches etc...they would have disbanded in days !
(Score: 3, Insightful) by NotSanguine on Wednesday February 17 2016, @09:14PM
So it is possible that they have already cracked the phone via some established method and are acting on the leads already. Then why make a public stink about this supposed difficulty? To build the image that iPhones are really secure so more people of interest will get iPhones which are readily cracked by that established method the government already has.
Alternatively, given what prosecutors/FBI are demanding [wired.com]:
it's entirely likely that the FBI/NSA are unable to crack the encryption and, as such, are seeking this code from Apple. It seems to me that the highlighted section is a smoke screen and the NSA would, in short order, be busy disassembling the code and modifying it to accept the UID of any phone whose data it wishes to decrypt.
The focus on the single device gives them political cover, while forcing Apple to give them the means to defeat IOS 8+ security.
I have no evidence for this, but if I were the NSA/FBI that's what I would do.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr