Posted on 03/28/2016 10:22:38 AM PDT by Swordmaker
Apple announces plans to hand over iCloud encryption key management to users
Apple has announced its plans to transfer iCloud encryption key management to account holders, a move which could stand in the way of or even prevent the FBI and other law enforcement agencies from requesting users' information.
The tech giant currently manages the encryption key management for all iCloud account holders.
eWeek reports that because of this level of control, Apple provided federal authorities with several iCloud backups of Syed Rizwan Farook, an individual who participated in a mass shooting and attempted bombing in San Bernardino, California back in December. The company cooperated with authorities even as it refused to help them unlock the suspected terrorist's iPhone.
But the times they are a-changin'.
Back in 2014, many account holders experienced a crisis of faith when a hacker allegedly leaked the nude pictures of several well known celebrities from their private iCloud accounts.
Although the breach may have been assisted by users falling for phishing messages, Apple vowed to explore ways to further enhance the security of its services and devices.
It is against this backdrop that we have seen the ongoing Apple-FBI controversy.
Over the past few months, several well known figures in the tech field, including the CEO of Google, have supported Apple's decision to not comply with the FBI's demands that it help authorities unlock Farook's iPhone.
The future of this case is uncertain. Just recently, a federal court granted the FBI's request to postpone all court proceedings while it takes the time to investigate a method of unlocking the suspected terrorist's iPhone that would not require Apple's assistance.
But even if the U.S. Department of Justice decides to drop this particular case, it is almost certain that the tech giant will face more and more requests to access customer data in the future.
With that in mind, Apple's decision to hand over encryption key management to iCloud account holders will render many of these requests irrelevant. Without the encryption keys, Apple will have no way to access users' encrypted iCloud data regardless of how much the U.S. government wants it.
The onus of data management will therefore shift to the users themselves.
There is admittedly some risk in that transition; if users forget their passwords, Apple will have no way of restoring access to their accounts. This might lead some users to create easy-to-remember passwords that by their nature could weaken the security of their iCloud accounts.
It is therefore important that iCloud users begin thinking about password security now. I recommend that users consider creating an account with one of the leading password managers (examples include Dashlane, LastPass and 1Password). These services not only remember passwords for users, but many of them can also generate strong passwords automatically.
A password manager could ultimately be the perfect tool to help iCloud users handle their own encryption key.
We’ll at least they’re doing lip service to their 80’s half-time video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zfqw8nhUwA
I keep all my criminal records on Post-It notes on the fridge... it's more secure that way.
You're sick, to be so obsessed with Tim Cook.
Wow. Thank you! So all I need to do is use the passcode on the phone or ipad and then law enforcement couldn’t get access to my phone? (not that I’m planning on doing anything)
Absolutely. Illegitimate power is all they have left.
Who cares?
Probably the same types of photos anyone else, gay or straight, uploads to the cloud.
I think the shrinks call it projection.
:)
The new default passcode is six digits. Instead of 10,000 possible combinations, it's now 1,000,000. You can also opt to use a complex passcode which allows alphanumeric plus symbols from the virtual keyboard where you can reach 223 characters: If you select a just an 8 character complex passcode, that's 2238 or 6,115,597,639,891,380,000 possible combinations of passcodes. Six quadrillion . . .
The only limitation is you can't have three or more identical characters sequentially. If you really want to get ridiculous, your passcode can be as many as 256 characters. I don't want to try to remember or type in that many characters.
Wow, so maybe the USA will ban IPhones.
Wan’t the enigma machine based on this also?
Perhaps you and your good friend (and employer?),Precious Timmy Cook,should start a movement to change one tiny phrase in the Constitution to read:
...against all searches and seizures...
*Do* let us know how that works out for ya....after you've removed your tinfoil hat that is.
true.
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