FBI vs Apple

[knot]

Should Apple help the FBI crack iPhones and create backdoors in them?

[brimstoneSalad]

Probably not. These back doors will likely be exploited by hackers. I doubt the FBI can keep a lid on them (I don't believe anything can reliably be kept secret to everybody).

Although I'll note: It may depend on the technology behind it.

[miniboes]

Not voting on the poll, because my answer would be 'Yes, but only with permission from a judge (or whoever is in charge of search warrants in the US)." I agree with what Sam Harris said at the start of his latest podcast, that just as the police and intelligence agencies should be able to search the house of a potential criminal for evidence and other information they should be able to search a criminal or victim's phone. However, they should be required to get a search warrant.

The argument of hackers exploiting it is certainly worth considering, however. I can't really judge how probable this is.

[Volenta]

The order explains very accurately what is expected from Apple:
https://assets.documentcloud.org/docume ... iPhone.pdf
Basically, they want to brute-force the iPhone. Apple has build in security functions to make this impossible, and thus the FBI wants Apple to code software that disabled these security functions, but only to load it on the subject's phone.

I remain ignorant about how much this will endanger normal people (I tried doing some research, but it's hard to tell). There is of course 'some' possibility of the cracking software or maybe even just knowledge about iOS-security falling into the wrong hands. On the other hand, it is also unknown to me how much of a value the information on the iPhone actually has, and what the impacts are of the FBI being in possession of it.

I have nothing against targeting specific potential criminals with a suspicion based on evidence per se, but building or modifying software to make it possible to bypass encryption makes me very nervous. To conclude: I think it's a though case with no easy answers.

[The6thMessenger]

I agree, FBI should have back-door on Iphones. I don't use Iphones though *evil laugh.

While i agree that Privacy is important, i think Security matters more. And i agree with Sam Harris with it requiring search-warrant, although at a lesser sense -- that if National Security matters, they should be able to search without warrant.