Apple has revealed that the password on the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone was changed while in government possession. The Apple ID password linked to the smartphone was modified less than 24 hours after authorities obtained the iPhone, the company told BuzzFeed. If that hadn't occurred, they may have been able to access a backup of the device.
The revelation comes after the DOJ filed a motion to compel the company to build a backdoor into the iPhone, alleging “Apple appears to object based on […] a perceived negative impact to its reputation and marketing strategy were it to provide the ordered assistance to the government.”
Apple has been in regular discussions with the government since early January and proposed four different ways to recover the information off the device without building a backdoor. One method involved connecting the iPhone to known Wi-Fi network to trigger an iCloud backup. Apple sent engineers to try that method but they were unable to do it. They then discovered that the Apple ID password associated with the iPhone had been changed. The FBI claims this was done by someone at the San Bernardino Health Department.
Had the password not been changed the government would not have needed to demand Apple build a backdoor into its devices to access the iPhone.
Asked why the company is pushing back so hard against this particular FBI request when it has assisted the agency in the past, Apple executives noted that the San Bernadino case is fundamentally different from others in which it was involved. Apple has never before been asked to build an entirely new version of its iOS operating system designed to disable iPhone security measures.
You can read the open letter from Tim Cook explaining why Apple opposes the creation of backdoor into its devices by clicking here. Please follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for updates.
Read More
The revelation comes after the DOJ filed a motion to compel the company to build a backdoor into the iPhone, alleging “Apple appears to object based on […] a perceived negative impact to its reputation and marketing strategy were it to provide the ordered assistance to the government.”
Apple has been in regular discussions with the government since early January and proposed four different ways to recover the information off the device without building a backdoor. One method involved connecting the iPhone to known Wi-Fi network to trigger an iCloud backup. Apple sent engineers to try that method but they were unable to do it. They then discovered that the Apple ID password associated with the iPhone had been changed. The FBI claims this was done by someone at the San Bernardino Health Department.
Had the password not been changed the government would not have needed to demand Apple build a backdoor into its devices to access the iPhone.
Asked why the company is pushing back so hard against this particular FBI request when it has assisted the agency in the past, Apple executives noted that the San Bernadino case is fundamentally different from others in which it was involved. Apple has never before been asked to build an entirely new version of its iOS operating system designed to disable iPhone security measures.
You can read the open letter from Tim Cook explaining why Apple opposes the creation of backdoor into its devices by clicking here. Please follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for updates.
Read More