FBI Drops iPhone Case Against Apple After Outside Hack Succeeds


Monday the FBI said that they have gained access to the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters. As a result, the FBI has dropped its request to compel Apple to cooperate in disabling security feature of the phone through a custom version of iOS.

While Apple avoided having to create an exploit for the device, this likely isn't the end of the subject. It's unknown what method was used to access the phone and even if it can be used on iPhones newer than the iPhone 5c, which doesn't have the protective enclave hardware feature. Either way, it would be reasonable to expect Apple to keep improving security so that the method used in this case may be rendered useless.

Recode:

In a statement issued after the filing Monday, Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman made it clear that while this action was now moot, there may well be similar conflicts down the road. "It remains a priority for the government to ensure that law enforcement can obtain crucial digital information to protect national security and public safety, either with cooperation from relevant parties, or through the court system when cooperation fails," she said. "We will continue to pursue all available options for this mission, including seeking the cooperation of manufacturers and relying upon the creativity of both the public and private sectors."