DoJ Wants Apple To Decrypt 12 More iPhones (macrumors.com)

tlhIngan writes: The Wall Street Journal (paywalled) is reporting that the Department of Justice is seeking Apple's help in decrypting 12 other iPhones that may contain crime-related evidence. The cases are not identified, though a list of the 12 phones in question has come out, but it is not known what level of Apple assistance is required (i.e., how many of those cases are waiting on the FBI request for special firmware to be developed and to be used on "one more phone"). It appears Tim Cook's assertion that hundreds of requests are waiting on this software may not be a fabrication, and the goal is not about just one phone, but to set a precedent to unlock more phones. As TechDirt (which also lists those 12 cases, a list which certainly does not encompass all the phones the Feds would like to peer into) puts it, "[O]nce again, Director Comey was flat out lying when he claimed the FBI has no interest in setting a precedent."

Comments

The duck quacked

[Tablizer]

Tim was right: gov't wants to open Pandora's box.

Re:The duck quacked

[knightghost]

DOJ actively works against citizen's interests. In this case, they are demanding a WMD that will be used by governments and criminals against hundreds of millions of people.

The FBI already has tremendous search capability and that is increasing given how corporations track people then sell that data.

Re:The duck quacked

[pla]

If the new owners of Slashdot really want to improve this site (and I have seen no evidence that they do), a good first step would be stop linking to stories that are paywalled, or that prohibit adblockers.M

Why would a largely ad-sponsored site want to help people seeking to block ads? I appreciate that Slashdot hasn't done the same - Yet - But I sure as hell don't expect them to help me avoid ads at other sites.

Re:The duck quacked

[Shoten]

If the new owners of Slashdot really want to improve this site (and I have seen no evidence that they do), a good first step would be stop linking to stories that are paywalled, or that prohibit adblockers. There are always plenty of alternatives.

I think the solution is for people not to submit links that are paywalled, or that prohibit adblockers.

Re:The duck quacked

[erapert]

Why is this modded funny? Isn't there a mod option for "deadly serious" or "too real to be funny"?

Re:The duck quacked

[whipslash]

We're not being paid to steer you into paywalls. In fact we have made a concerted effort to stop linking to paywall sites. However, when the news is breaking we'd rather you guys have the news, and update the story as soon as another source is available.

Re:The duck quacked

[Pfhorrest]

As someone who doesn't pay a whole lot of attention the the behind-the-scenes stuff going on about Slashdot, I just want to say that you guys, whoever you guys are now (I wasn't even aware of a change of ownership and have no idea who the new owners are), seem to be doing a good job so far or at the very least exhibiting the attitude of someone who'll do a good job.

Re:The duck quacked

[zugmeister]

I mean this seriously and with no sarcasm.
Thank you!

Re:The duck quacked

[NatasRevol]

It doesn't matter.

That's the whole point.

Once the precedent is set, it's a free for all.

Hipster Terrorist?

[wkwilley2]

The San Bernadino phone was just the start, pretty soon, it will be "DOJ wants the backdoor keys for all your iPhones"

Re:Hipster Terrorist?

[Anonymous Coward]

Is torture also included in this exception?

Re:Hipster Terrorist?

[DarkOx]

What is amazing to me is this isn't even a fourth amendment/privacy/fifth amendment/rights of the accused/exclusionary evidence/ type question. Its a question of very very basic freedom.

Apple sells a phone, they are not necessarily in any on going business relationship with the owner of said phone after that happens. The DOJ argues though that they should be able to phone them up and demand they create something which does not today exist (an unlock tool or firmware without protections). So Apple who was not a participant in any crime, an accessory, or in material possession of evidence etc now must act.

This quite literally sets the precedent the DOJ can conscript and individual or organization who has ever sold or manufactured something to assist in an investigation! We are supposedly not slaves! This very concept should be offensive to all freedom loving Americans and frankly anyone who isn't siding with Apple on this "Hates Freedom."

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. --William Pitt

Camels nose ...

[gstoddart]

This will open the floodgates of making all of these companies be responsible for developing tools for law enforcement to demand access. And then law enforcement will demand they simply be given those tools to avoid the whole pesky court system and due process.

Welcome to the future, where law enforcement wants it to be illegal for you to have information they cannot access, and failure to allow yourself to be spied on is a criminal act. You can't have any freedom and security because they need to remove it to protect your freedom and security.

You have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide, citizen.

In Soviet America, phone unlocks you.

But keep telling yourselves you don't live in a surveillance society, one day you'll believe you have always been at war with Eurasia. Failure to comply is now a thoughtcrime.

What happened to those oaths to defend and uphold the Constitution, instead of wiping your ass on it?

Progress here....

[TheCarp]

The big progress here..... remember how it used to take years or even decades for DOJ lies to be exposed? Now all manner of government lies are just blasted to all hell within DAYS. It really is wonderful progress.