14 DAY TRIAL // A California judge has ordered Apple to help the FBI break into an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers by developing custom software that would allow police officers to have an unlimited number of passcode entries without the risk of losing any data.
In a statement released today, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook explains that while the company fully understands why such a decision would be needed, it’s very risky to compromise the encryption system of a system and provide the government with access to a user's device.
This can put everyone’s personal safety at risk, Tim Cook warns, adding that Apple has always refused to break into iPhones because “the contents of your iPhone are none of our business.”
Apple has already provided the FBI with information from its servers
Cook has gone on to explain that when the FBI asked for information in the San Bernardino case, Apple fully provided it, but only the data that was in the company’s possession and stored on its servers. Additionally, Apple engineers worked together with FBI agents to detail ways to read the provided data.
But the Apple CEO argues that what the judge ordered this week could be a threat to data security, pointing out that the Cupertino-based firm does not have such software to provide unlimited password entry attempts. Furthermore, he emphasizes that such software could fall in the wrong hands and “would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession.”
Tim Cook isn’t afraid to call a spade a spade and clearly says that FBI uses different words to describe the software solution that it needs in order to break into that iPhone.
“Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor. And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control,” he states.
Once created, this tool can be used as many times as the FBI wants
Although the FBI guarantees that such a tool would only be used once on this iPhone, there’s a risk it could be utilized at a later time whenever it’s needed, Tim Cook adds, because once developed, it can be copied or re-used freely by anyone having it.
“The government suggests this tool could only be used once, on one phone. But that’s simply not true. Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices. In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks - from restaurants and banks to stores and homes. No reasonable person would find that acceptable.”
In the end, “the government is asking Apple to hack our own users,” the CEO warns, explaining that the company will do whatever is possible to oppose this order.
“We are challenging the FBI’s demands with the deepest respect for American democracy and a love of our country. We believe it would be in the best interest of everyone to step back and consider the implications,” he concludes, stressing that the government shouldn’t force any company to provide access to user data.
You can read the full statement made by Tim Cook in the box below.