Feds Crack iPhone . walk away from lawsuit with Apple

[tangor]

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) says it no longer needs Apple to help unlock the iPhone 5C used by one of the San Bernardino killers.

In a filing [PDF] made Monday to the Central California District Court, prosecutors say they have extracted data from the smartphone belonging to slain San Bernardino killer Syed Farook, thus avoiding a risky legal showdown with Apple.

[theregister.co.uk...]
The court battle between US Gov and Apple on cracking killer's iPhone is over.

[bill]

Now everyone is speculating on how they did this crack. If it's that easy, then there's a flaw in Apple's method. Apple probably wants to know too.

[weeks]

Press to DOJ: How was it done?
DOJ: Heh.
Press: Can you say more?
DOJ: Heh, heh.

We can assume from the trouble the FBI had it is very, very difficult. But now we can assume it's not impossible. So, evil doers rest easy, not. Of course, everyone else doing biz on these devices might have some restless evenings as well. Maybe using paper checks to pay my bills deserves another look...

[Selen]

The password was: admin1

[engine]

hehehe, admin1, lol

Well, I always thought it was accessible anyway, so, if it's tough to crack, that makes it more difficult for casual theft.

Can you imagine Apple counter suing on this.

[tangor]

Most likely wiping sweat from brow over bullet dodged (and breaking the piggy bank defending a fed lawsuit).

I do suspect that the third party who did the crack is now either under contract or has been swallowed up by the gubermint (sic). :)

[engine]

It has been suggested that the chips were removed from the phone and the hack would take place that way. Pure speculation of course, but I never thought it'd be impossible.
I'm more concerned over casual theft at the moment

[bill]

Now the talk is, if these phones are vulnerable to hacking in some manner, then government workers using iPhones are using potentially insecure devices. As it's unlikely that the method of breaking into the phone will be responsibly disclosed, this could be looked at as a way for the government to needle Apple...that is if the phone was actually cracked into at all.

[engine]

Good point, bill, did they actually crack the iPhone. I guess we'll never know, and neither will Apple, unless Apple take up the baton and push for information.

[LifeinAsia]

unless Apple take up the baton and push for information

Which would most likely be denied because of "national security" issues.

[toidi]

Fed to apple engineer : want to work for us?
Apple engineer to fed: No!
Fed to apple engineer: You might want to take a look at this file we have on you.
Apple engineer to fed: When do i start?