Apple makes iPhone users' security a priority

Apple takes customer care seriously, even in the face of the government

Apple made a jaw-dropping announcement they are keeping customers’ private information that is on their various products safe. The extended protection comes from Apple’s encryption software that is made to defend any hacking or breaking into.

This comes as an astonishing statement, because of the requests from the FBI to break into one of the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, as reported by USA Today.

Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote a lengthy post on Apple.com defending his company’s choice to support

“The government is asking Apple to hack our own users and undermine decades of security advancements that protect our customers — including tens of millions of American citizens — from sophisticated hackers and cybercriminals,” Cook addressed Apple users.

By Flickr user Charis Tsevis

Background; tragedy strikes in California

On December 2, 2015, several news outlets including NBC News reported a mass shooting that occurred the southern Californian town of San Bernardino. The attackers were married couple Syed Rizwan Farook  and Tashfeen Malik. The two killed 14 people and left more than 20 people injured in the Inland Regional Center of San Bernardino, NBC News adds.

The two were able to get away, and within four hours, the police were able to apprehend the couple in their rented SUV with local law enforcement apprehending the two terrorists, with armored vehicles, reports ABC Los Angeles. After a five minute long shootout, both Farook and Malik were declared dead.

Farook’s iPhone 5c was taken into police custody as evidence, reports TechCrunch.

Regarding Apple’s involvement in this procedure

The FBI planned on using the iPhone in an attempt to find motivation and any additional information about the attacks, but needs help from Apple, TechCrunch reports.

Prosecutors in this case have found evidence that Farook and is wife may have been in communication with victims and they may have possible connections to other terrorist groups, NBC News reports. The prosecutors argue that the iPhone’s iCloud data can contain this vital information to this examination.

Farook’s iPhone has a passcode on it, and the FBI is unable to find a way into the phone.

The FBI asked the smartphone manufacturer to deactivate the security software that Apple sets up in every iPhone. The FBI wants to explicitly wipe out the process that gets rid of the phone’s data if an incorrect passcode is put in too many times, TechCrunch adds.

The only way that this can be done is through a software update via the iPhone’s iOS system, and from there the security of the phone can be bypassed.

Apple CEO heavily against the process, others give their two cents

By Flickr user iphonedigital

Apple CEO Tim Cook’s extensive letter to iPhone users declares his support for them and is not in favor of what the FBI is trying to do. Cook sees this compromise of security goes against what his company stands for. Despite reassurance from the federal government that this operation will be for only one device.

Cook also believes that this will create possible future security problems, as allowing the government to see personal information can result in more privacy violations from the government.

“Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor,” wrote Cook. “And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control.”

Cook is not alone in this case, as he and Apple have garnered several supporters.

Alex Abdo, a staff attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union is describing the request from the FBI as “unlawful.”

“The Constitution does not permit the government to force companies to hack into their customers’ devices.” Adbo told NBC News. “Apple is free to offer a phone that stores information securely, and it must remain so if consumers are to retain any control over their private data.”

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is a strident supporter of privacy rights, and shows his reinforcement for Cook’s decision and sees this procedure as letting other potential threats in, USA Today reports.

“People have been asking me, ‘Ron, what’s wrong with making Apple unlock one iPhone?’ ” Wyden said. “But Apple is not being asked to build a key that would unlock one iPhone. They are being asked to build a key that would unlock millions of iPhones. And that’s dangerous.”

Senator Wyden adds, “When you do that, you don’t just give the keys to the good guys. The bad guys get them too.”

On the FBI’s side, the Justice Department issued a written statement showing discouragement with the actions of Apple, reports USA Today.

“It is unfortunate that Apple continues to refuse to assist the department in obtaining access to the phone of one of the terrorists involved in a major terror attack on U.S. soil,” the department wrote.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest wants to let the company know that there will be no potential issues with this software.

They (investigators) are not asking Apple to redesign its product or to create a new backdoor to one of their products,” Earnest said.

What this can possibly mean for the future?

As of February 18, Apple has no plans to help the FBI unlock the phone. It is mostly speculation on what the end result can be in this situation, but many iPhone users will not be pleased to hear that their personal information on the their phones can now be seen and surveyed by the government.