Apple says it immediately contacted FBI about unlocking Texas shooter’s iPhone

The Verge ^ | Nov 8, 2017, 8:47pm EST | By Nick Statt

[Swordmaker]

Apple is refuting the FBI’s official account

Apple is refuting the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s account of the aftermath of the Texas gunman’s attack this past Sunday, saying it reached out to the bureau “immediately” to offer assistance in getting into the gunman’s iPhone and expedite its response to any legal process. The attack, which left 26 dead and many more injured, was committed by now-deceased Devin P. Kelley, who is confirmed to have been carrying an iPhone that may have crucial information about his activities in the lead up to the shooting.

The FBI originally cast blame on Apple yesterday without mentioning the company by name, with FBI special agent Christopher Combs blaming industry standard encryption from preventing law enforcement from accessing the contents of devices owned by mass shooters. “Law enforcement is increasingly not able to get into these phones,” Combs said at a press conference. “I can assure you that we are working very hard to get into the phone.”

However, a Reuters report earlier today revealed that the FBI did not ask Apple for assistance during a critical 48-hour window, in which Kelley’s fingerprint could have still unlocked an iPhone equipped with Touch ID. (The model of Kelley’s iPhone remains unknown, as does whether he enabled Touch ID.) An Apple spokesperson, in a statement obtained by BuzzFeed, now says it did in fact contact the FBI right away:

[mewzilla]

Well, this doesn’t look good...for the Feebies.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Why the change of heart?

[Swordmaker]

Apple contacted the FBI as soon as they heard the authorities were trying to "unlock a phone" belonging to the shooter to offer assistance but were rebuffed in favor of "FBI experts" who were exploring other resources to get into the device. — PING!

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[Sacajaweau]

FBI....Stuck on stupid.

[Swordmaker]

No change of heart, Okie, Apple always assists when it can, but not when ordered to destroy the security of all iPhones. This iPhone likely had not had its AppleID changed. That means there are ways to reset that Apple can use to get a limited amount of data from it, but not get to the encrypted data. Also Apple may know ways they COULD use the dead man’s fingers that others don’t know. . . but not after 48 hours (sometimes less). ,p> Also, Apple CAN provide them anything he’s backed up to iCloud if the give them a proper search warrant. . . and some dummies write their passcode on notes or stickies which might get backed up to iCloud. Most people don’t opt to use the iCloud encryption using their passcode. . . So, it’s likely all there. I posted Apple’s legal law Enforcement guidelines PDF link day before yesterday which outlines what they can and can’t do. Here it is again:

Apple’s Legal Process Guidelines—Government & Law Enforcement within the United States

[Behind Liberal Lines]

How come Apple doesn’t do this when the shooter is a Muslim?

[savedbygrace]

The FBI lies again.

This is my shocked face.

___

[Gay State Conservative]

Funny how Apple refused to cooperate in the San Bernadino terrorist attack but says it's cooperating here.I guess that make sense....filthy perverts like Little Timmy Cook just *loves* moslems but *hates* guns.

How very transparent of him!

[Road Warrior ‘04]

I am getting so tired of the FBLie!

[ctdonath2]

Apple did cooperate in that case.
They just said “no” when the FBI said “give us a way to open everyone’s phone whenever we want”.

[A_Former_Democrat]

Well, Timmy after all did give a million or more to that fine upstanding unbiased Patriotic splc

[txrefugee]

The FBI lies.

[a fool in paradise]

The San Bernadino couple (with a suspected third member) were considered to be a ticking timebomb with a time priority in obtaining their contacts.

This has more of the signs of a lone nut (issue is still not settled with the Vegas shooter). If the Texas killer was in phone contact with Antifa(TM) leading up to the attack, it’s unlikely we will ever learn of it.

Why not just subpoena his phone call records from his carrier?

[Swordmaker]

Funny how Apple refused to cooperate in the San Bernadino terrorist attack but says it's cooperating here.I guess that make sense....filthy perverts like Little Timmy Cook just *loves* moslems but *hates* guns.

Apple WAS cooperating in the San Bernardino terrorist case. They complied with every legitimate, legal search warrant that was issued. . . and in fact handed over to the authorities complete copies of the terrorist’s Backups of the iPhone 5c in question up to October 26th, when he turned off his iCloud backup capability.

Apple was even willing to unlock the iPhone 5c using the terrorist’s AppleID which was perfectly possible on that model iPhone, BUT the idiots at the FBI told the San Bernardino County IT guy that in their opinion, since they didn’t have the password that went with the terrorist’s AppleID, he should use his administrator access and CHANGE the AppleID. . . so he did. THAT ACT, prevented even Apple from unlocking the iPhone without the original user’s AppleID AND password! STUPID! Apple, had they bothered to ask would have told the to NOT DO THAT! Don’t touch it.

[Haiku Guy]

Lots of people have a canned response to mass shooting incidents.

The Gun Grabbers propose Universal Background Checks and Closing the Gun Show Loophole

The FBI complains about cellphone security

Local Police demand better equipment

etc...

The circumstances don’t matter. These things are triggered automatically.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Fumbling Bumbling Idiots

[Buckeye McFrog]

All part of a PR campaign by the Federales for a law forcing all tech firms to hand over their encryption keys.

[Bob Celeste]

Can’t help but wonder if the fbi is even capable of telling the truth.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

“I can assure you that we are working very hard to get into the ^your phone.”

What reason is there to suppose that anyone was conspiring with that utterly heartless madman? AFAIK, less than none.

What reason is there to suppose that the government does not want the ability to read your phone at will? My answer, sadly, is no different.

And you are only too correct when you assert that such capability, once created, cannot be kept from those who would abuse it. Even if you thought, contrary to all experience, that the government itself would not abuse it.