FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone • Hacker News Board

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#171

Post by newjersey » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 8:51 AM UTC

fweespee_ch wrote: post #19

oneloop wrote: post #12

Same article on the FT: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/af23e3ea-07f1-11e6-b6d3-746f8e9cdd... James Comey, director of the FBI, said on Thursday that the cost was “worth it”, but added that an accommodation needed to be made with Apple and other technology companies in the future, as paying outside technologists to find ways to access highly-encrypted messages on phones used by terrorist suspects was not “scalable.”

> James Comey, director of the FBI, said on Thursday that the cost was “worth it”, but added that an accommodation needed to be made with Apple and other technology companies in the future, as paying outside technologists to find ways to access highly-encrypted messages on phones used by terrorist suspects was not “scalable.” That is exactly what we want. If its clearly in the public interest to expended substantial…

Was there something on the phone what made it worth it? I don't know if I understand the hypocrisy of hn. We cry "oh humanity" when Ford pays $50k over sticker for a new Tesla car for reverse engineering but of course if the FBI does something then surely they were judicious with their purse strings.

Surely.

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#172

Post by ascotan » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 8:59 AM UTC

techterrier wrote: post #16

Is that it? Had they found a way to do it internally it could easily have cost 10x more.

5 people, 1 year = 1million. Likely a team of 4 devs and a PM. 10months to prototype, 2 months to clean up and release?

Sounds reasonable.

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#173

Post by ascotan » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 9:04 AM UTC

oneloop wrote: post #12

Same article on the FT: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/af23e3ea-07f1-11e6-b6d3-746f8e9cdd... James Comey, director of the FBI, said on Thursday that the cost was “worth it”, but added that an accommodation needed to be made with Apple and other technology companies in the future, as paying outside technologists to find ways to access highly-encrypted messages on phones used by terrorist suspects was not “scalable.”

Not scalable as in 'we can't spend a year breaking into every version of OSX', not 'we can't spend a million dollars breaking into every version of OSX'. Because a million bucks is chump change in government spending.

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#174

Post by Flimm » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 9:17 AM UTC

Nutmog wrote: post #102

intrasight wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. Americans need to wake up to the fact that these spooks simply cannot be trusted. The very concept of trust is alien to their culture. Would be nice of we could count on congress to provide adequate oversight.

That won't happen unless American voters want it. They don't want it, as evidenced by their not voting for it, so they won't get it.

> Please avoid introducing classic flamewar topics unless you have something genuinely new to say about them.

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#175

Post by _pmf_ » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 9:49 AM UTC

oneloop wrote: post #12

Same article on the FT: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/af23e3ea-07f1-11e6-b6d3-746f8e9cdd... James Comey, director of the FBI, said on Thursday that the cost was “worth it”, but added that an accommodation needed to be made with Apple and other technology companies in the future, as paying outside technologists to find ways to access highly-encrypted messages on phones used by terrorist suspects was not “scalable.”

> as paying outside technologists to find ways to access highly-encrypted messages on phones used by terrorist suspects was not “scalable.”

It would be fucking hilarious if he used this kind of language to mock the SV lingo.

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#176

Post by chopin » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 9:54 AM UTC

karmelapple wrote: post #152

dclowd9901 wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's amazing to me too that the very concept of an "unwarrantable" space is simply impossible to conceive.

I don't disagree, but do some countries truly publicly accept unwarranted spaces? I can imagine most governments wouldn't really want to give up that ability if possible.

In some civilized countries, yes. Take eg. your brain (as an accused), a doctor, a lawyer. There are even countries respecting the sources of journalists...

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#177

Post by rubyfan » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 10:38 AM UTC

ikeboy wrote: post #125

rubyfan wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"public funds" is not a single shared bucket of loot that everyone puts into. In this case it was a county owned device. County governments are typically recognized incorporated organizations that have no real line of authority or connection with the federal government. So no, the FBI or federal doesn't have some ownership claim that makes it ok to break into. As others point out they have basically seized the device…

Unless the county was forced to hand it over, this is not relevant.

can you explain the comment on relevance a bit more? You said it twice but I'm not seeing your point.

Regarding the Director's double speak I think it is relevant. The FBI or federal government is still not the owner. Regardless of whether the device was seized or surrendered the property is still owned by the county.

> What he's saying is "we want it both ways". We don't want to take away security for users, we just want to make it easier for someone who's not the owner of the phone to get into it.

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#178

Post by ikeboy » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 10:50 AM UTC

rubyfan wrote: post #177

ikeboy wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless the county was forced to hand it over, this is not relevant.

can you explain the comment on relevance a bit more? You said it twice but I'm not seeing your point. Regarding the Director's double speak I think it is relevant. The FBI or federal government is still not the owner . Regardless of whether the device was seized or surrendered the property is still owned by the county. > What he's saying is "we want it both ways". We don't want to take away security for users, we jus…

If they have permission from the owner, it's wrong to describe it as trying to get into "someone else's phone". There's no expectation of privacy in a government owned phone.

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#179

Post by azazqadir » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 10:58 AM UTC

ryporter wrote: post #151

If you consider all of the time and effort that they put into this case, they spent a hell of a lot more than $1M. We're focusing so much on it because it a single line item.

Exactly. Think about the resources they put on this case. It should worth way more than $1M and all that came from tax payers money.

Re: FBI Paid More Than $1M to Hack San Bernardino iPhone

#180

Post by coroutines » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 11:21 AM UTC

TallGuyShort wrote: post #44

isleyaardvark wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> was not “scalable.” This is the same James Comey that said they just were just asking Apple for access to just that one phone.

Just think of how many lives were saved by the data they got off that phone. Oh wait...

I hope someone sticks a couple hundred FOIA requests in that hole they speak to the people from. Hold them accountable: "What did the FBI get out of this?"