Apple’s new updates won’t work meant for everyone.
Apple recently unveiled a range of privacy-focused features that aim to better protect the user’s information stored in iCloud however, even as privacy activists and other human rights organizations have applauded the new features while police agencies have expressed their concerns.
It appears that they’re not in opposition to the enhancement of privacy, but they fear that criminals from all kinds could misuse the right to privacy.
In an email that was sent out to Washington Times, the FBI claimed that Apple’s end-to-end encryption(opens in a new tab) “hinders our ability to defend the American citizens from crimes that range from cyber-attacks and violent acts against children, drugs trafficking, organized crime and terrorist acts.”
Security trade-offs
“In the age of cyber security and the demands for’security by design’, security by design is essential. FBI along with law enforcement agencies require ‘legal access to information by the design.'”
In the same vein the former FBI Official Sasha O’Connell spoke to the New York Times, saying there are caveats to be considered. “It’s fantastic to see companies placing security first however, we must be aware that there are tradeoffs, and one of the ones that’s often overlooked is the impact it can have on reducing the access of law enforcement agencies to the digital proof.”
Apple has announced a variety of security-focused features that were recently introduced which include iMessage contact key verification Advanced Data Protection for iCloud as well as Security Keys for Apple ID and this feature called Advanced Data Protection for iCloud that really hit a nerve for the FBI. The new feature ensures that information saved in iCloud will be encrypted end-to-end and will allow only authorized devices to read and decrypt the data.
That is, neither Apple nor anyone other than Apple, will be able to connect to Apple’s servers or look at the data users’ iCloud data is stored.
This isn’t the first time that the FBI has encountered trouble with Apple. About six years ago the FBI took possession of the iPhone phone that belonged to Syed Farook, one of the two terrorists who carried out an attack on the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California. On the 2nd of December, 2015, the two killed 14 victims and injured 22 others.
It was discovered that the iPhone is locked triggering an intense battle between the FBI and Apple who claimed that there was no way or motivation to unlock the device. The fight even went into the US Congress which was overwhelmingly every tech company in the US siding with Apple. The entire thing ended after the FBI eventually managed get the iPhone unlocked using the assistance of a third-party. The media reported later that the company involved was an Israeli mobile forensics company, Cellebrite.
