Reading that order, it seems clear the feds don't want the software to hack everybody's iphone, apple can do it at their place and keep the phone in their possession, and, they get paid for doing it.
They also have the opportunity to argue it in court.
Again, the only valid argument I see them having is whether or not they can be compelled to make something they claim doesn't exist. I don't think the Judge will be very sympathetic.
Apple - A Message to Our Customers
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There are a lot of real "smart guys" who think they know something about technology, that in reality have no real knowledge, posting on this thread. I've stayed out of it till now, but I'm done.
For those who think encryption is easily decryptable, this just shows you do not understand how encryption actually works. Let me break it down for you. The iphone uses 256 bit AES encryption. That is twice as long a key as 128 bit. To crack 256 bit AES encryption using the fastest supercomputer currently in existence, it would take 3.31 x 10^56 years to brute force the key. Let me put htis in perspective. It would take 1 billion, billion years to crack a 128 bit encrypted file. Consider, the age of the universe is 13.5 billion years. It is essentially impossible with modern technology, to brute-force AES encryption. So get that thought out of your pretty little head.
Now, the other thing at stake here, and what apple is concerned about, is that if they create a backdoor, as the government wants them to do, the only real way to do this is create a copy of the encryption key on that computer somewhere- or to be aware of what that key is. Either way, you now have an extremely perilous situation, because you have either a single point-of-failure system. You either have a single encryption key known only by apple. Even if you have an individual key for each iphone, apple would have to have a copy of that key, to comply with future requests like this. Obviously, as apple said, they don't want to to this, and they shouldn't. But this is basically what the FBI wants. They want them to build in a master key, or keep a record of the key for each phone in the event they want to access it.
Apple is trying to prevent this backdoor from being put in place. This isn't even a government only problem. Even if we assume the government would ever abuse this (looking at you, NSA), then it's still lreaving a gaping hole for other bad actors, from other governments, or just your standard "black hat" hackers, who want to access your device. All you have is a single point of failure now- those master keys. You no longer have the safety net of a nearly uncrackable encryption system. If someone can access those keys, you are done.
There is no solution here which accomplishes anything good. I'm glad apple is standing up for this. The amount of fear resulting from these attacks is insanely overreactive, and I'm very worried it's going to result in more things like this, where we give up more privacy in the name of security.
Because
The fact that you said "mooslims" means you immediately lose all credibility, due to your racist statements. Go fall in a hole. Ignoring that, The government is demanding apple comprimise the security of all it's customers to accomplish basically nothing. The fear of terrorism is so over exaggerated. Far more people are killed by accidental firearm discharge, or motor vehicle collisions, and the common cold, than are killed by terrorists in this country. I guess you don't care, but I am not willing to give up security and privacy so they can gain minimal information they don't already have.
Originally Posted By: GMFan
This is an obstruction of justice. If the FBI rolls over they will be an embarrassment. Why would Apple gets a free pass? If this were anyone else they'd be charged with obstruction. This is no doubt a political move by Apple. Apple has admitted that it has unlocked phones dozens of times last year. Why won't they do it now? Is it because of the religious affiliation of the perps? Tim Cook should be hauled off to jail.
The IRS crooks throw people in jail over small tax issues yet 2 Mooslems slaughter over a dozen people and Apple is impeding the investigation. How are people defending this?
OVERKILL
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Great post Nick 
Kudos Nick!
Can you explain as to how what government is asking Apple to do will help in *this particular case*? As the things stand, for *this particular phone", what government is asking will NOT help. Correct??
Government is asking for the key to *this* phone.
Apple says, they don't have it.
Apple says, they could add backdoor to all the phones *going forward* but that would be extremely stupid idea to do.
If so, why there is even a controversy? Is it because 99% of the population, including the court personnel are morons when it comes to technology or logical thinking?
OVERKILL
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Originally Posted By: Vikas
Kudos Nick!
Can you explain as to how what government is asking Apple to do will help in *this particular case*? As the things stand, for *this particular phone", what government is asking will NOT help. Correct??
Government is asking for the key to *this* phone.
Apple says, they don't have it.
Apple says, they could add backdoor to all the phones *going forward* but that would be extremely stupid idea to do.
If so, why there is even a controversy? Is it because 99% of the population, including the court personnel are morons when it comes to technology or logical thinking?
As many times as the Gov't databases have been hacked, I wouldn't trust them with any kind of info or data like the master keys to un-encrypt anything like people's cell phones, etc. Their cyber security sucks.
https://www.opm.gov/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-incidents/
Quote:
The fact that you said "mooslims" means you immediately lose all credibility, due to your racist statements. Go fall in a hole. Ignoring that, The government is demanding apple comprimise the security of all it's customers to accomplish basically nothing. The fear of terrorism is so over exaggerated. Far more people are killed by accidental firearm discharge, or motor vehicle collisions, and the common cold, than are killed by terrorists in this country. I guess you don't care, but I am not willing to give up security and privacy so they can gain minimal information they don't already have.
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Originally Posted By: GMFan
Where does it say the FBI actually wants to get the universal key to all phones?
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
If the back door is only accessible by warrant I dont see the issue.
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: GMFan
Where does it say the FBI actually wants to get the universal key to all phones?
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what I am still not getting is
1) Can Apple get the contents of *this* phone to government? If Nick is right and I have no reason to doubt it, it will take billions of years until Apple can de-crypt the content using brute force.
2) Why did Apple even answer more than that? Don't they have lawyers telling them NOT to volunteer any extra information?
3) Chop the finger off the cadaver and de-crypt the phone and get it over with.
4) Come to think of it, the government *already* has the fingerprint of both the perps. They were in the data base. Use those fingerprint and create artificial finger to unlock the phone.
All the noise is about something else and NOT about the phone per se.
Originally Posted By: GMFan
Again, Apple has unlocked phones over 70 times in the past for investigations. How is this situation different than the other 70 times?
From what I remember hearing the other day all the FBI needs Apple to do is to prevent the phone from erasing the data after too many incorrect login attempts. Then they can simply guess until they get it which is pretty easy if it's just a pin.
Originally Posted By: hatt
From what I remember hearing the other day all the FBI needs Apple to do is to prevent the phone from erasing the data after too many incorrect login attempts. Then they can simply guess until they get it which is pretty easy if it's just a pin.
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: hatt
From what I remember hearing the other day all the FBI needs Apple to do is to prevent the phone from erasing the data after too many incorrect login attempts. Then they can simply guess until they get it which is pretty easy if it's just a pin.
Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: hatt
From what I remember hearing the other day all the FBI needs Apple to do is to prevent the phone from erasing the data after too many incorrect login attempts. Then they can simply guess until they get it which is pretty easy if it's just a pin.
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On devices running iOS 8 and later versions, your personal data is placed under the protection of your passcode. For all devices running iOS 8 and later versions, Apple will not perform iOS data extractions in response to government search warrants because the files to be extracted are protected by an encryption key that is tied to the user’s passcode, which Apple does not possess.
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There may be secrets on the iPhone 5C used by the San Bernardino shooters, but the FBI apparently can't unlock them. The same security system that thwarts your drunk friend (or your cat) from getting into your texts is safeguarding the data of this terrorist duo.
You can’t just take a stab at guessing someone’s iPhone passcode. After five wrong guesses, you’re forced to wait a minute. After nine wrong guesses, you have to wait an hour. And depending on how the phone was set up, it might delete all its data after ten wrong tries.
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This article give a pretty good explanation.
http://blog.trailofbits.com/2016/02/17/apple-can-comply-with-the-fbi-court-order/
Here is a better technical guessing article. But for 99% of the population, it does not really matter. They are in for watching the circus which is being unfolded in front of their eyes.
http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2014/10/why-cant-apple-decrypt-your-iphone.html
By the way, if Apple were really serious about encryption, they could have designed the current firmware in a such a way that new firmware can NOT be loaded without the password. If you are an engineer you would know that new firmware updates are controlled by the old firmware.
Apple could have provided a backdoor to recover locked iPhones but they could have taken the approach that recovery would automatically imply total wipe out.
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