FBI agrees to help Arkansas prosecutors open iPhone after hack of San Bernardino device


The Los Angeles Times reports that the FBI will assist in unlocking an iPhone 6 and iPod in Arkansas. It's not clear the method used to do this, but is noteworthy given the FBI has previously claimed it couldn't unlock iPhones in the San Bernardino case and then eventually found a solution. To offer to unlock devices so soon for another case would seem to suggests the same or similar exploit. Given it's on an iPhone 6, this would be interesting because the iPhone 5c in the San Bernardino case has weaker hardware protections used in the iPhone 6 and 6s.

Besides used on a modern iOS device, if the exploit is used as evidence could offer greater insights on what's going on.

On Tuesday, an FBI official told the Los Angeles Times that the successful hack of Farook's phone was unlikely to help police win broader access to encrypted data...

The process used to gain access to Farook's phone might not work on other devices, according to the official, who was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The official said it was also unlikely that the FBI would use the new tool in cases that would result in criminal prosecutions because the method would then become subject to discovery at trial.

Crocker said he was skeptical that the Arkansas case would be analogous to the situation involving Farook's phone.

"In a criminal case, if the FBI uses a technique, there's going to be questions about divulging that technique or chain of custody to the defense," he said. "So my instinct is this might be something different."