Yesterday the FBI filed an order asking Apple to unlock the iPhone used by Tashfeen Malik, one of the attackers in the San Bernardino shooting incident, reports TechCrunch. The order is based on a 227 year old All Writs Act, which gives courts power to issue orders that do not fall under a pre-existing law. In response Tim Cook published a letter on Apple’s website, that said that the company would challenge the order. Essentially, Cook mentions that it has already provided law agencies with what it could, and to unlock the phone further, it would have to update its operating system to allow access. This would essentially create a backdoor OS for iOS devices, which could then be theoretically used to unlock any iPhone. Apple recently introduced a pin authentication which automatically wipes user data on a certain number of unsuccessful tries. Malik's phone uses this feature, and to disable it, Apple will essentially have to create an alternate operating system that bypasses this security measure, and push it as an update. However, this code could then be used to unlock other iPhones as well, and it would be extremely hard to limit it to one device. Complying with the ruling would also set a precedent for unlocking secure devices, and by extension, undermining encryption. According to Cook, the Government could “extend this breach of privacy and demand that Apple build surveillance software to intercept your messages, access your health records or financial data, track your location, or even…
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