FBI asked San Bernardino to reset the password for shooter's phone backup
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-asked-san-bernardino-to-reset-the-password-for-shooters-phone-backup/2016/02/20/21fe9684-d800-11e5-be55-2cc3c1e4b76b_story.html
But that apparent fog-of-war error foreclosed the
possibility of an automatic backup to the Apple iCloud servers
that might have turned up more clues to the origins of the
terrorist attack that killed 14 people. "The county and the FBI
were working together cooperatively to obtain data, and at the
point when it became clear the only way to accomplish the task
at hand was to reset the iCloud password, the FBI asked the
county to do so, and the county complied," David Wert, a
spokesman for San Bernardino County, said in an email.
- - -
If this is correct, the implications are breathtaking, because this was
the act that locked the FBI out of the phone and backups, leading to
their unacceptable demands of Apple. We are faced with one of two
logical possibilities: (a) Whomever at the FBI was working with San
Bernardino authorities on this matter was grossly incompetent (and yes,
it's the same FBI that is pushing for backdoors in our crypto systems --
gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling, eh?) -- or (b) Less likely, but a
possibility to gladden the hearts of conspiracy theorists -- the FBI
ordered this done specifically to set up the circumstances where they
could move the ball forward on the politics of demanding backdoors on
our systems and into our personal data. Either way, it's awful if true.
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein ([email protected]): http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Founder:
- Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org
- PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
I have consulted to Google, but I am not currently
doing so -- my opinions expressed here are mine alone.
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