A Message to Our Customers
apple.com
A Message to Our Customers
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Re: A Message to Our Customers
#2Huge props to Apple - here's hoping against hope that Google, Facebook, and Amazon get behind this.
One thing I was wondering is how Apple is even able to create a backdoor. It is explained toward the end:
"The government would have us remove security features and add new capabilities to the operating system, allowing a passcode to be input electronically. This would make it easier to unlock an iPhone by “brute force,” trying thousands or millions of combinations with the speed of a modern computer."
This is actually quite reassuring - what this means is that even Apple can't break into an iPhone with a secure passphrase (10+ characters) and disabled Touch ID - which is hackable with a bit of effort to get your fingerprint.
Re: A Message to Our Customers
#3if you are interested in the technical details of iOS security: https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf
Re: A Message to Our Customers
#4With the due legal process the police can search property, safety deposit boxes, bank accounts, vehicles, etc. etc. Why should a smartphone be any different just because Apple says it is ?
As much as I value privacy I really don't agree with Apple's stance here - if due legal process has been followed, why shouldn't they be able to read the contents of an iPhone ?
And yes I get that third party encryption can be used, which isn't owned by Apple and that there's little the authorities could do about it - but that's not the case at hand here.
Re: A Message to Our Customers
#5The fact that they can create this backdoor, doesn't that mean it already exists?
What Apple needs to do then instead of writing this letter, is release an update that closes this backdoor.
Re: A Message to Our Customers
#6The fact that they can create this backdoor, doesn't that mean it already exists? What Apple needs to do then instead of writing this letter, is release an update that closes this backdoor.
> The fact that they can create this backdoor, doesn't that mean it already exists?
Quite likely.
As I posted on the other discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11116343
> If it's possible to make such a "backdoored" build of iOS, then there are state actors who will be throwing $Millions at doing it already, with or without any willing help from Apple.
Re: A Message to Our Customers
#7[deleted]
Re: A Message to Our Customers
#8With the due legal process the police can search property, safety deposit boxes, bank accounts, vehicles, etc. etc. Why should a smartphone be any different just because Apple says it is ? As much as I value privacy I really don't agree with Apple's stance here - if due legal process has been followed, why shouldn't they be able to read the contents of an iPhone ? And yes I get that third party encryption can be used…
> Why should a smartphone be any different just because Apple says it is ?
Because it is possible to create a smartphone that is impossible to break into. The others it is impossible to create one that is impossible to break
Re: A Message to Our Customers
#9With the due legal process the police can search property, safety deposit boxes, bank accounts, vehicles, etc. etc. Why should a smartphone be any different just because Apple says it is ? As much as I value privacy I really don't agree with Apple's stance here - if due legal process has been followed, why shouldn't they be able to read the contents of an iPhone ? And yes I get that third party encryption can be used…
"the police can search property, safety deposit boxes, bank accounts, vehicles, etc." - that they can, doesn't mean it is right. If you read the entire letter, you'll see that creating the backdoor means tomorrow the Chinese government can see the nude pics on your phone (with 'due legal process', of course).
Re: A Message to Our Customers
#10With the due legal process the police can search property, safety deposit boxes, bank accounts, vehicles, etc. etc. Why should a smartphone be any different just because Apple says it is ? As much as I value privacy I really don't agree with Apple's stance here - if due legal process has been followed, why shouldn't they be able to read the contents of an iPhone ? And yes I get that third party encryption can be used…
This is not the government asking to search a single vehicle or safebox, to take your examples. This is the government asking that every safebox or vehicle in the world be made instantly unlockable by design.