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Apple To FBI: Encryption Rules Out Handing Over iMessage Data In Real Time

Posted by timothy on from the oh-did-you-want-that? dept.

Mark Wilson writes that Apple has balked at a court order to provide the FBI with the contents of text messages among users of its iMessage service, claiming that the encryption it uses to protect these messages makes handing over the messages themselves impossible. From the article: The Justice Department obtained a court order that required Apple to provide real time access to text messages sent between suspects in an investigation involving guns and drugs. Apple has responded by saying that the fact iMessage is encrypted means that it is simply not able to comply with the order. The stand-off between the US government and Apple could last for some time as neither side is willing — or possibly able — to back down.

9 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. Why not ... by zeugma-amp · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... give them what they are asking for? Just hand over the encrypted data and say "good luck with that".

    --
    This is an ex-parrot!
    1. Re:Why not ... by MasseKid · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Exactly. This is the data apple has, it's the data being requested, the fact that neither apple nor the FBI can do anything useful with it should be of no legal concern to apple.

    2. Re:Why not ... by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Apple will end up doing that I imagine, but they also want the publicity of "not handing over iMessage data to the FBI" before they do it.

    3. Re:Why not ... by macs4all · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Apple will end up doing that I imagine, but they also want the publicity of "not handing over iMessage data to the FBI" before they do it.

      Or, maybe, just maybe, they don't want to force the Court into finding Apple in Contempt, with possible sanctions of who-knows-how-much per day until they "comply" with an Order with which they really can't comply (because they really don't have a "master key").

      Or even worse, the DoJ gets some fascist Judge to Order Apple to install a backdoor, and it turns into a REALLY ugly (and expensive) fight.

      BTW, this really should shut up all the slashtards that say that Apple secretly colludes with the Gummint; but it won't.

    4. Re: Why not ... by pr0fessor · · Score: 5, Insightful

      More like a cop asks you to open someone else's locked car because it's parked in your parking lot. They can tow it and break into it but you can't unlock it because you don't have the keys.

    5. Re:Why not ... by DrVxD · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As always, the question is not "are you paranoid", it's "are you paranoid enough"

      --
      Not everything that can be measured matters; Not everything that matters can be measured.
  2. Re:So, the FBI doesn't need to ask for Android? by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There's an easy solution for this. You simply apply to your government to use encryption. And of course deposit the master key with them. Then you may encrypt as you please.

    You do trust your government, don't you?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. Re:send it anyway by fustakrakich · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How in the FUCK did THAT happen?!?

    The voters keep reelecting corrupt politicians. How could it NOT happen??!

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  4. Re:send it anyway by dunkindave · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Isn't this wonderful? From the Fourth Amendment, we now have a situation where Privacy == Obstruction. How in the FUCK did THAT happen?!?

    Because the Fourth Amendment doesn't guarantee you absolute privacy, it grants "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures", meaning until a court has issued an order to grant such access "upon probable cause". In this case the court issues such an order. The question is, given the circumstances, what Apple is legally required to do. Hint: they are not required to change their software to create the ability for the government to get access, only to give the government what they already have access to.