Apple's Tim Cook warns of "dire consequences" of sacrificing privacy for security

ZD Net ^ | February 13, 2015 -- 19:13 GMT | By Zack Whittaker for Zero Day

[Swordmaker]

Summary:The Apple boss said people have entrusted the company with their most personal bits of information. "We owe them nothing less than the best protections we can possibly provide."

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said that there should not have to be a trade-off between national security and personal privacy.

In a speech as part of a cybersecurity summit hosted by The White House at Stanford University, the Apple boss said history has shown that sacrificing rights to privacy can have "dire consequences" on society.

"We risk something far more valuable than money. We risk our way of life," he said.

"We shouldn't have to trade our security for all of this information at our fingertips. When a system is designed properly, security and convenience can actually work in harmony," he added.

The summit is President Obama's opportunity to make the case for a collaborative approach to protecting private industry from cyberattacks at a cybersecurity summit at Stanford University.

Obama signed an executive order Friday allowing private companies and technology firms to share more cyber-threat data with each other and government agencies. It comes in the wake of recent high profile hacks against Sony Pictures and health insurance firm Anthem.

But Cook was the only Silicon Valley chief executive to attend the cybersecurity summit, with leaders from Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and Facebook choosing to send senior security executives in their places -- possibly because of continued anger over historical government intrusions into their systems.

Cook's critique comes almost two years after NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden disclosed wide-ranging domestic surveillance programs that tapped data from Silicon Valley companies. Apple was named in the leaked slides that detailed the PRISM surveillance program.

"Our customers' trust means everything to us. And we've spent decades earning that trust," Cook said.

He also reiterated the company's business model is not focused on collecting user data or selling that information to advertisers or third-parties.

"We know hackers are trying everything they can to steal your data," Cook said. "The personal impact on these breaches can be devastating."

In other news, Cook -- signaling a thawing of relations with the government -- said Apple Pay will later this year allow mobile payments from federal institutions, like national parks.

[Swordmaker]

KMA!. I needed two HDMI adaptors with 5 foot cable made by belkin. I called the store in Grand Rapids, MI who then forwarded me to the online store who required me to purchase them then over the phone in order to reserve the parts which I needed that day and drove 60 miles to pickup.

Those are not parts. Apple does not sell "parts" online for stare pick-up and I stand by my statement as you framed it. I still don't believe your card got compromised because of you giving it to the Apple Online store or over the Phone. Your whole story sounds fishy.

[VRWCarea51]

And YOU don’t know WTF you are talking about. I have the paperwork from the Apple Store online to Prove what I posted.

If you are gonna suggest someone is making a false claim at least back it up with some intellegence or qualified knowledge .

Look up Belkin 4k mini display port to HDMI cable (2m/6.5ft) thru the online store. Yes you can pick it up same day if the local store has it in stock.Because that is exactly what I did.

You look foolish and very ignorant accusing someone of lieing when you don’t even know what you are talking about.

I am done playing with you tonight troll!

[Swordmaker]

I am done playing with you tonight troll!

You are the one who came on here making an accusation about a company that has a reputation for very secure transactions. I questioned your facts about ordering "parts" on the phone from Apple for local pickup, which they do not sell to the public. You've now changed your story from ordering "parts" to ordering "accessories", something they do happen to sell to the public. . . but that still does not make your transaction insecure. If you are offended, accept my apologies. . . but I still think your ordering from Apple and the compromising of your card are coincidences. I've had three cards registered with Apple for over ten years and none have been compromised through Apple.