The FBI Has Unlocked the iPhone That was Used in the San Bernardino Attacks

By Nicholas Acosta, 29 March, 2016

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Hi guys, over the weekend I heard that the iPhone that was used by the killer in the Paris attacks has been unlocked by the FB I. So, what does this mean for Apple? Well, reports are saying that Apple might not have to change their operating system. But, we will hear more about this as time passes online.

I have one thing to tell all of you. I care about my privacy. I have been using iOS for about four years now. I do not want the government trying to listen to my phone calls or anything else. I also don't want them looking at emails. When Apple released version iOS 9.3, this was one step further that Apple made for security. I say this because we can now I encrypt our notes using a pass code or our fingerprints with the fingerprint scanner. Privacy is a right. The more people that we have talking about this issue will bring positive feedback. I am on Apple's side. We should not have to handover anything to the government. We should have access to anything we want and not have to worry about our privacy being hacked. Remember, encryption is the key. When ever I use one of my iOS devices, I feel safe just because it is encrypted and unable to get hacked. According to the news, the FBI unlocked the iPhone using the mystery method. I had a feeling that they would be able to get the phone unlocked. But, we shouldn't have to suffer and pay for somebody else's actions. Apple needs to continue making their devices harder and harder to be hacked. Apple has done good by what they say. Remember, I am going to say this again. Privacy is a right.

Please post your comments down below. We would like to hear what you have to say.

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Comments

By tunmi13 on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

Me tkone, I totally agree. I have an Inbox full of e-mails that I don't want touched. I take my security really seriously. I'm happy this new Note locking feature has come in, I've securely locked my WiFi password now, but letting the government look at my stuff, um, no.

By Southpaw on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

Ahoy there,
So the phone was the work phone that belonged to one of the shooters in the attack in San Bernardino but the point is still the same. I'm glad that we won't have to see this issue forced to a conclusion that would be bad for everyone involved except the FBI.
Encryption is already out there and if this came to a head and Apple was forced to create this modified firmware the only people it would hurt is us. We've dodged the metaphorical bullet this time around. Let's hope it's a while before this issue comes up again.
I wish there were details on how they did it but so far I haven't seen anything about it. Anyone else?

By Holger Fiallo on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

Yes they did it and drop water on it and now is not working. Who is running the investigation? Agent 86?

By AnonyMouse on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

Yes, for now the encryption has been compromised and we know that there is a way around this in that statement by the FBI. Personally, all this has done is kick that can down the street for now. You see I promise you that right now that every hacker on this planet is going to figure out how this was done. That is to be said that Apple is most likely doing the same. Once they have figured out how it was done. I assure you that it will take a simple update and that hole is patched. We will be right back where we left off several weeks ago. This is far from being done. This will be nothing but a cat and mice game until some law is passed to determine in what and how company have to divulge that information. We shall see.

Personally, I do believe that law enforcement are allow to serve warrants for a person to unlock their device that is encrypted. Weather that is a hard drive, phone, or whatever device that is needing to be unencrypted. However, forcing a company to make sure that device can always be hackable is just absurd. Just my two cents.

By Fatima.Hamoud10 on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

I'm on Apple's side too. I don't want the FBI to have access to all my information. Apple isn't going to create what I call "mallicious software" to help the FBI unlock that iPhone! Apple should continue making their products harder and harder so that no one can hack in to them. Thanks Apple for not creating GovtOS! Very proud of each of you! Also, I would like to thank all the people in America who supported Apple in order to with draw this case.

By Joseph on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

I'm also on apple's side. enough said from me.

By JeffB on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

Considering that the NSA probably has most of our info already does it really matter? I'm all for privacy as much as anyone but the guy that had this phone killed people. Could have killed more where is the line when we talk about people's lives and people's rights? I was annoyed when I found out the NSA took all our emails and everything and sifted through it. They probably still are doing it. As for the person that blew the whistle he's a fugitive of the law. Apple could have just taken the phone and unlocked it. One terrorist phone unlocked problem solved. Then all Apple would have to do is say hey, if you get a warrant we will unlock the phone. Apple played this up for attention I was terrified when I heard there might be a shooting at a college around my ariea last fall. How many lives is the privacy of terrorist’s worth? This is not a black or white issue and yes privacy is important but a person's live is priceless. Just remember that.

By Joe on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

Jeff while I agree with you it's good to have a safety the problem with your theory is there's no evidence that anything that the FBI would obtain it from an iPhone will keep anyone safer. Therefore them snooping on devices which they would do if they had a legitimate pack will just customize privacy rights for people. The Boston bombing happened and we had an essay doing their thing didn't stop that tragedy. The problem is conservatives mainly and some liberals use terrorism as a scare tactic. I'm more likely to be in a car crash then a terrorist attack are they going to start limiting cars on the road? I don't vote very often and when I do not vote I always hear the criticism of people died for your right to vote that's true people also died from my right not to vote. The one thing I can say is people did die to protect the Constitution and the right to privacy which is constantly under attack these days.

By JeffB on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

To each there own I suppose. I'm just saying it's not all 1 way this is a diffacult ariea.

By Southpaw on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

The reality is that encryption is already out there. To assume that terrorists are only using iMessages is completely wrong. Even if Apple was forced to make this change anyone wanting to cause harm will just move to something new like Telegram. The encryption cat is already out of the bag and creating this hole into Apple's software is not going to stop anything. All it would do is open the door to hackers and governments to snoop on and steal information from everyone else. This is a hackers dream come true. use "terrorism" to scare the government and people into weakening digital security and now every hacker has the ability to find the same holes and do what they want with them.
There have been many articles already highlighting the fact that police departments were lining up waiting for Apple to do this so they could come in with regular non terrorism related cases and get the info they want too. The repercussions are massive with this issue and it won't just stop at terrorism. it makes the public weaker as a whole.
Acting like this will stop terrorism is a fantasy. They will just start using something else and as a result we're no closer to "stopping terrorism" and all we've done is put every iPhone user at risk.
This is not the way to prevent terrorism. They just want people to think that so they can get the support they need to force it. This isn't the last we've seen of this issue.
I get that some people are willing to sacrifice privacy for safety but this will not provide safety and acting like it will is just a way to fool yourselves. Personally I would rather keep my digital life private and live with the risk.

By Toonhead on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

This is more about access than incription, as in accessing the data on an iPhone. I'm not sure how the FBI got to the info but they did. The hackers and underground dudes are always gonna be one step ahead. That's how it goes. Really there's no easy answer for this one.

By david s on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

hello,

I think what most people miss is how this goes beyond the war on terrorism. When an encryption is defeated, it could also be used to terrorize everyday citizens.

Forget about the hackers. there are thousands of people out there who are repressed by their governments. In countries like N. Korea, China and Russia, there are people who are opposed to their government and rely on encrypted devices such as the IOS to communicate with each other and plan demonstrations. Those governments have been watching this case closely to see how they too, can hack the IOS devices.

When the FBI announced the phone was hacked, life just got a little harder for those living under suppressive governments.

By Igna Triay on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

If the FBI managed to hack the phone, then why ask Apple at all to make a new software to hack into phones?

By SoundSchemer on Friday, April 22, 2016 - 02:37

I agree.

I have been using iOS since Friday the 27th of September, 2013, and I love how all your data is private.

However, if all the governments, got our data somehow, that wouldn't be good.

I have my passcode set to a 17 character code in order to prevent anyone from logging in, even though I know how trustworthy my family is. I hope Apple enhances the security in iOS 9.3.1 if it comes out.