Your iPhone just got less secure. Blame the FBI

NPR was playing this story up as if it's a blow for Apple - is it really? Isn't the vulnerability the fact that the phone has no secure enclave, and so the timeout/wipe can be worked around by external access to the flash?

Isn't that the whole reason the newer phones were upgraded?

Older device fails, newer device with improved security doesn't. That's not a blow to Apple, that's the way the world works.

Re: Your iPhone just got less secure. Blame the FBI

#6

Post by koenigdavidmj » Wed, Mar 30, 2016, 2:37 PM UTC

We'll find out based on how many of the similar cases are withdrawn.

If the answer is zero, they're probably lying.

Re: Your iPhone just got less secure. Blame the FBI

#7

Post by gigq » Wed, Mar 30, 2016, 2:39 PM UTC

This is the company the FBI supposedly contracted (http://www.cellebrite.com/Pages/cellebrite-solution-for-lock...), if that's the case it's just older devices that don't have the secure enclave which is not surprising.

Re: Your iPhone just got less secure. Blame the FBI

#8

Post by artursapek » Wed, Mar 30, 2016, 2:39 PM UTC

If Apple refused to comply with the FBI's request, why should the FBI owe Apple a disclosure of this vulnerability they found?

Keep the downvotes coming, lads! They're meant for burying spam and junk comments, not expressing disagreement, but I enjoy them anyway.

Re: Your iPhone just got less secure. Blame the FBI

#9

Post by mgberlin » Wed, Mar 30, 2016, 2:40 PM UTC

Without disclosure of the method used by the FBI, this sounds like nothing more than political posturing and a non-story. Apple is no longer able to fight the All Writs Act, and the FBI is no longer compelled to watch one of their favorite misuse-able laws get taken away.

Re: Your iPhone just got less secure. Blame the FBI

#10

Post by pazra » Wed, Mar 30, 2016, 2:40 PM UTC

akerro wrote: post #2

It always was insecure, know we just know for sure.

We do not know for sure.