Posted on 02/19/2016 6:21:59 PM PST by Swordmaker
Apple has now responded to a Department of Justice filing that we reported earlier today was attempting to force the company to comply with an FBI request for access to a locked iPhone belonging to a suspect in the San Bernardino attacks. In one statement to Reuters, an Apple spokesperson said the DOJ is "disregarding civil liberties in iPhone unlocking case," while in another it attempts to explain more of the back story regarding past events with the iPhone in question.Â
CNBC reports an Apple exec called the motion "a way to argue the case twice before Apple can respond," a response to the fact that the DOJ's motion filed today comes ahead of Apple's deadline to respond to a judge regarding its original refusal to unlock the device in the case. CNBC adds that in response to claims in the DOJ filing, Apple said it “has not said that unlocking an iPhone is technically possible.”
Now that the DOJ has exposed a lot of the background story in the case in its earlier filing, Apple is offering its side of the story.
Here’s a longer version of Apple’s statement relayed by unnamed executives to various medial outlets, this time via BuzzFeed:
The Apple ID passcode linked to the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino terrorists was changed less than 24 hours after the government took possession of the device, senior Apple executives said Friday. If that hadn't happened, Apple said, a backup of the information the government was seeking may have been accessible…
The executives said the company had been in regular discussions with the government since early January, and that it proposed four different ways to recover the information the government is interested in without building a back door. One of those methods would have involved connecting the phone to a known wifi network.
So Apple is arguing that the Apple ID of the iPhone was changed after the government took possession, meaning the FBI could have had access to the data it’s seeking. Â Apple adds that otherwise it previously proposed solutions that wouldn’t include building a the “backdoor” the FBI is after.
Apple also reportedly responded to the DOJ's claims that Apple's refusal on the requests were a marketing ploy, according to BuzzFeed, "saying they were instead based on their love for the country and desire not to see civil liberties tossed aside."
And while Apple is calling up media outlets to give its response to the filing, TheHill reports Tim Cook and the head of the FBI were today invited to testify before a House committee.
JUST IN: In response to DOJ filing earlier, sr. Apple exec. says company has not said that unlocking an iPhone is technically possible - DJ—
CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) February 19, 2016
BREAKING: Department of Justice disregarding civil liberties in iPhone unlocking case: Apple—
Reuters U.S. News (@ReutersUS) February 19, 2016
Apple: Within 24 hours of govt taking possession of SB shooter's phone, Apple ID pass was changed—backup may have been accessible prior—
John Paczkowski (@JohnPaczkowski) February 19, 2016
I don’t know if you have an iPhone, but if you do you know you have a password for the account, which allows you to access iTunes, the App store and your iCloud account; and then you have a PIN or passcode that allows you to unlock the phone itself. From this story, it sounds like the account password was reset, and as a result any backup that may have been stored on the iCloud account or synced with a desktop device is now inaccessible. That is different from saying the PIN to unlock the device was changed.
Apple hasn't refused to help. They were working with the FBI on this for quite a while and were unable to get into the system. What they are refusing to do is create a brand new software tool whose only purpose is to break the security on all of their phones.
OH BULL SPIT, DL! You and Ray are about the only ones on here can't comprehend the rationality of Apple's position. I've about come to the conclusion that you and he are the same person writing under two FREEPNAMES, your delusions are so identical.
Sincerely,
A government employee.
That's because it isn't.
I've about come to the conclusion that you and he are the same person writing under two FREEPNAMES, your delusions are so identical.
When one is looking at the truth, it usually looks the same from different perspectives.
There's nothing new in what Ray posted. Zero, Zip, nada. It's the same old, same old. It's the FBI and DOJ trying to justify their unconstitutional Court Order to the judge how wrote it. Circular argument if I ever saw one.
Whatever you say Mr. Apple inc spokesman.
You both have the same perspective. SLANTED and WARPED and DELUSIONAL.
I am not a spokesman for anyone but me and rational logic.
The thing that I appear to be most deluded about is the notion that you can reason with kooks and fanatics.
I should just not waste my time.
"Rational logic?" Is that what you call that voice in your head?
You are an Apple FAN-atic. You simply support what the company says, no matter how nonsensical it sounds.
The bottom line is that the FBI itself blocked access to the phone’s contents, either through screwing up or deliberately in order to engineer this case as an opportunity to set a precedent. In neither case does Apple have any proper legal or moral obligation to bail them out.
It’s also worth noting that this was the terrorist’s work-issued phone (which is why the country was able to bollix up the cloud access by following the FBI’s instructions). It almost certainly contains nothing of any relevance, with any terrorism-related communications from the (evil, yes; imbecile, no) perp going over some other phone which was well and truly destroyed prior to the attack.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.