The meme that Apple has refused to “unlock” an iPhone in the San Bernardino shooting case is demonstrably false.
There is no magic key which Apple has refused to release to the FBI. (full stop)
Every media outlet or person describing the request to Apple as to “unlock:”
- Is ignorant of the facts of the FBI request,
- Is deliberating spreading disinformation for the FBI,
- Or both.
The falseness of the “unlock” meme isn’t hard to demonstrate.
The original court order reads in part:
1. Apple shall assist in enabling the search of a cellular telephone, Apple make: iPhone 5C, Model: A1532, P/N:MGF2LL/A, S/N:FFMNQ3MTG2DJ, IMEI:358820052301412, on the Verizon Network, (the “SUBJECT DEVICE”) pursuant to a warrant of this Court by providing reasonable technical assistance to assist law enforcement agents in obtaining access to the data on the SUBJECT DEVICE.
2. Apple’s reasonable technical assistance shall accomplish the following three important functions: (1) it will bypass or disable the auto-erase function whether or not it has been enabled; (2) it will enable the FBI to submit passcodes to the SUBJECT DEVICE for testing electronically via the physical device port, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other protocol available on the SUBJECT DEVICE; and (3) it will ensure that when the FBI submits passcodes to the SUBJECT DEVICE, software running on the device will not purposefully introduce any additional delay between passcode attempts beyond what is incurred by Apple hardware.
3. Apple’s reasonable technical assistance may include, but is not limited to: providing the FBI with a signed IPhone Software file, recovery bundle, or other Software Image File (“SIF”) that can be loaded onto the SUBJECT DEVICE. The SIF will load and run from Random Access Memory (“RAM”) and will not modify the iOS on the actual phone, the user data partition or system partition on the device’s flash memory. The SIF will be coded by Apple with a unique identifier of the phone so that the SIF would only load and execute on the SUBJECT DEVICE. The SIF will be loaded via Device Firmware Upgrade (“DFU”) mode, recovery mode, or other applicable mode available to the FBI. Once active on the SUBJECT DEVICE, the SIF will accomplish the three functions specified in paragraph 2. The SIF will be loaded on the SUBJECT DEVICE at either a government facility, or alternatively, at an Apple facility; if the latter, Apple shall provide the government with remote access to the SUBJECT DEVICE through a computer allowing the government to conduct passcode recovery analysis.
4. If Apple determines that it can achieve the three functions stated above in paragraph 2, as well as the functionality set forth in paragraph 3, using alternative technological means from that recommended by the government, and the government concurs, Apple may comply with this Order in that way.
…
Does that sound like “unlock” to you?
Yet, media outlets as diverse as NPR, the New York Times and the Pew Foundation, have all repeated the false “unlock” meme, along with many others.
The court order is an attempt to force Apple to undertake a custom programming project at the behest of the government.
Do you think the government can whistle up Apple, IBM or Microsoft, or even you, for a custom programming job?
Whether you want to participate or not?
That’s what FBI Director Comey and his media allies want to hide under the false “unlock” meme.
Spread the true meme – this is slavery on the software seas and should be denounced as such.
The freedom you save may well be your own.