Kerfl-APPLE

I know, it’s usually kerfluffle, but it this case, kerfl-APPLE seems more appropriate. I realize it’s not strictly gun related, but considering privacy is a part of freedom, this bothers me. I have certain things in life, just like we all do that we consider our private information. It seems daily what the government will allow us to keep private shrinks. Of course, there is always a “good reason” for the need to violate our privacy. I’m still miffed that when I buy a phone now there are presidential alerts that I can not unsubscribe from. Barry didn’t buy my phone, he doesn’t pay my phone bill, and yet, there is that stupid Presidential alerts so he can address me any time he feels the need. Frankly, I doubt there is anything of interest he could say thatI would find it worth having this feature. Well, except “I resign, effective now”.

So back to Apple and the iPhone. I don’t have an iPhone, so I don’t really have a horse in this race. But as I understand it Apple’s iPhone has a reputation of security. The San Bernadino terrorist ***** (I’m not giving the name, let it be lost to time) had a government issued iPhone.

The FBI wants to crack it. The problem is, after ten attempts to access the iPhone, it automatically wipes clean. This particular iPhone the FBI wants to explore? The FBI has now admitted they’re the ones that directed the Police to change the password to the iCloud back-up, and they have access to all the data in the iCloud which had been recently updated. But as there is more info on the phone than in the cloud, they want the phone cracked. They want Apple to create a “backdoor” to their software. They want a version of the OS that will allow the FBI to use their brute force software to get into a phone without causing it to erase.

This does not bode well for the Americans with an iPhone.

According to TechCrunch, the government is asking for three things from Apple:

  • Disable or bypass the auto-erase function of iOS. This erases your phone if too many wrong passwords are input. A commonly enabled setting on corporate phones — which the iPhone 5c owned by the government agency for which ****** worked — is.
  • Remove the delay on password inputs so that the FBI can ‘guess’ the passcode on the phone quicker, without it locking them out for minutes or hours, which is what iOS does to stop any random thief from doing this kind of thing. The inputs would be lowered to around 80 milliseconds, which would allow the password to be guessed in under an hour if it were 4 digits and significantly longer if it were more.
  • Allow the FBI to submit passcode via the physical port on the phone, or a wireless protocol like Bluetooth or WiFi.

So once Apple has built the new OS with the backdoor, the government can access people’s iPhones if they need to, or have a good reason, or want to.

But so can a good hacker.

As Wired pointed out, after Edward Snowden’s bombshells, the American people that care about this sort of thing really sat up and took notice. They wanted better encryption and better safeguards for the privacy and security of their personal data. The later iPhones no longer even have the capability of being opened by Apple. The earlier ones did have a keyhole, and Apple had the key, not so with the newer ones. Apple threw away the key. Sort of like Ladar Levison, owner of Lavabit trashing his own servers and destroying all his work to protect the privacy of his email customers who paid the princely sum of $8 a year for a secure email account.

Wired also pointed out FBI director James Comey’s claims that if Apple doesn’t cave the US is “no longer a country governed by the rule of law.” is well, crAPPLE.

A former head of the NSA and the CIA is also saying Apple shouldn’t give in to the FBI, and why.

What I think it boils down to? The FBI is using the one iPhone of ***** to demand Apple weaken it’s security, leaving owners of it’s product at risk of government intrusion, as well as vulnerable to hackers, and making the pricy phone a bigger target for theft. Not to mention, as one of the article pointed out

the fact that the government would be weakening the security of a private company’s product, potentially impacting the civil liberties of American citizens and foreign nationals worldwide that use those products.

That’s always good for a companies reputation and profitability, right?

But not to worry, we can trust the US government not to break their word not to spy on Americans! They would never, rarely, seldom, not without a good reason, likely spy on people they have promised not to spy on.

Knowledge is power, the more knowledge they have of people and their private information the greater the leverage, right?

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”~~ Benjamin Franklin. Wise man Ben.

Some of our great comments on this brought this little video back to the front of my mind.

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22 thoughts on “Kerfl-APPLE”

  1. Admittedly I don’t understand all the ins and outs of this issue, but maybe an acceptable work around would be for Apple to develop the OS with the workaround, and keep it on an isolated system (i.e., one that’s not connected to the internet where it can be hacked into and the OS stolen) in their HQ. Meanwhile phones continue to be distributed to customers as they are now.

    Law Enforcement could then bring a seized phone and a warrant to them, they could do the install in the lab and do the brute force attack there.

    That way YOUR phone cannot be read without a warrant, because your phone continues to have the safeguards installed.

    We know that what the FBI is asking for is an after-the-fact install of a “broken” OS. Thus they can’t claim they need the broken OS installed BEFORE the crime occurs. Therefore, this should be enough to get them what they CLAIM they want–the ability to search a phone if they have a warrant.

    Some might object that the warrant process can be abused. It certainly can be, but what the FBI is apparently asking for now would make even a warrant unnecessary–in fact, as pointed out, it would make being Law Enforcement unnecessary. Warrants under our constitution are the only protection we do have, they are the difference between an “unlawful” and a “lawful” search and seizure.

  2. Here’s another opinion;

    Yuval Ariav, Intelligence officer in a previous life, witnessed similar situations.

    FBI iPhone Backdoor Request (February 2016).
    It’s possible, but probably not like most people think about:
    Since the whole thing erupted, people who have speculated this is some kind of marketing trick on Apple’s part seemed to suggest that by taking this stand, they’ll get PR (good PR, or just PR, remembering that any PR is good PR [ugh]) and boost sales.
    If that’s the case, I’d be thoroughly disappointed. Apple’s PR team should be better than that.
    No, the way I think about the stand that Apple took is as downside protection: they projected that given the high profile nature of the investigation (remember they’ve cooperated similarly with the authorities a few dozen times in the past, without it turning into a media story), it would sooner or later be made known to the public that Apple helped the FBI access the encrypted data on the iPhone. If that happens, they calculated there would be a possible backlash against Apple for cooperating with the FBI by betraying users’ privacy. So they decided to get ahead of the story and set the narrative on a way to would frame them as the masses’ privacy advocates.
    So I think in this sense, this is indeed a marketing move. But one designed to mitigate risk, not propagate sales.

    https://www.quora.com/Is-Apples-refusal-to-cooperate-with-the-FBI-a-marketing-ploy

  3. Rubio’s opinion (as stated in the video) is crap. Apple has no duty to follow a self-contradictory and unconstitutional court order.

    There are several contradictions in the court order, but here’s a big one (as reported here): The court order demands they develop and install a compromised version of the iOS (dubbed elsewhere as “FBiOS” … heh!), and that that software can remain under Apple’s control, and Apple can even destroy it after the task is completed.

    The problem is, if the information obtained from the phone is to be used in court, the methods of retrieving it must be reproducible and reportable, in order to survive challenges by defense counsel. That means third-party testing and verification. And that means Apple, by definition, does not get to maintain control over the software. Additionally, it releases the copyrighted and fiercely-protected source code for iOS into “the wild” with no compensation to Apple; a probable violation of the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments.

    The court order promises something it cannot fulfill. And as we all know, a promise that cannot be fulfilled, will not be fulfilled.

    The fact that the FBI is also asking it to be implementable remotely, via Bluetooth or WiFi, is even scarier. It’s only another small step to make it implementable over the cell network, if it’s reverse-engineered to have that capability (did I mention that Apple won’t have control over it?). Should If When that happens, your iPhone is “only” compromised at certain times, with “certain times” equating to “when it’s turned on” (and so many “smartphones” these days never truly turn off unless the battery is removed, which is difficult/impossible with an iPhone).

    So I say again, the court order is contradictory and unconstitutional, and Apple is morally, ethically, and legally correct in disputing it, regardless of the impact to their bottom line.

    1. That means third-party testing and verification. And that means Apple, by definition, does not get to maintain control over the software. Additionally, it releases the copyrighted and fiercely-protected source code for iOS into “the wild” with no compensation to Apple; a probable violation of the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments.

      Ah, that I had not realized, it throws my suggestion right into the dumpster. Moving on to the default “Hell NO” position now.

      1. Yep. The devil’s in the details. By asking for a software “tool”, the FBI is opening a whole ‘nother can of worms than simply asking for help getting the data off the phone.

        Also, in addition to the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments, see the Thirteenth [bold emphasis added]: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

        Neither Apple, nor any of their current employees, is under current sanction for a criminal conviction. How, then, does the court have the authority to force them to work against their will, creating a tool that currently does not exist?

        Is that not the very definition of “involuntary servitude”?

        1. Oh, they’d just argue that this is really a sort of subpoena, and no one claims being forced to show up in court and testify is illegal under 13A. (For that matter, juries get drafted too.) Courts generally get to call on resources and powers the other branches are forbidden to use (e.g., a judge being allowed to throw someone in jail for “contempt”).

  4. It seems like the courts are again overstepping their once well defined bounds, this time not by imposing a so called tax in the form of health insurance, but by trying to force a technology company to write software that does not exist, to change a product that they have the patent on. No matter how noble the reason may seem, this can in no way be construed any differently than that steep slide toward totalitarianism that we have seen for arguably the last 50 years or even 150 years.
    If the government has the ability to simply ignore the right of privacy implied in the constitution, what is left for freedom lovers? They could also chose to simply ignore any other rights that prove troublesome, say the right to keep and bear arms, or perhaps the right to vote for public officials.
    No matter the reason for Apples decision, I have to support them and can only hope that they stay strong in that stance. I suspect it could go as far as the Supreme court, where who knows what could happen. Of course, given how long it has often taken Apple to release different products, it might take them years to finally write the new code if they are ultimately forced to. At least that is how long it would take me if I was forced to write the new code. I would put my best person on the job, and would make sure they were extremely careful and cautious. You can’t have any mistakes you know.
    I mostly hate the fact that the talking heads on the news shows who support the government are trying to make this just a simple matter of saying that all they want is the information on the phone and nothing else, no backdoor into any other phones or any way to access phones by blue tooth or anything other thing no way shape, or form. Just the info from the one killers phone, thats it, Apple is making a mountain out of a mole hill, they can keep the phone, keep the coding, just give us the data.
    Given the track record for how truthful the alphabet agencies who work for the feds have been about our privacy, I have to side 100% with Apple on this one.

  5. The FBI isn’t worried about having a legal forensics tool and evidence from the phone they can use in court. First, even assuming they handed the phone to Apple for lab extraction and let Apple retain the “code”, they would entail installing FBiOS (changes what is on the disk), unlocking it, changing or deleting the existing password (changes what is on the disk), removing FBiOS and reinstalling the old iOS (changes what is on the disk), and running the disk image. Any defense attorney is going to scream in court, “Your Honor, they admit they deleted and added stuff to that phone themselves! How do we know they didn’t add that incriminating photo alllegedly from my client?” And in that scenario, Apple has to delete the FBiOS and reinstall iOS, or the FBI gets the code in the disk image.

    The FBI wants FBiOS. Not as a proper forensics tool, but as a covert surveillance tool, to generate leads with which they can use parallel construction to get evidence to show in court without ever disclosing the original source. FOIA releases indicate the NSA has been doing this for the FBI and DEA with metadata they slurped up in their own network snooping.

    If they get this, all they need is to crack Apple’s software update validation code (so the iPhone “knows” it’s getting a “legitimate update), and they can use a modified stingray to install FBiOS on any iPhone 5C (and possibly other models). Note that they want remote entry of a passwords, too. There’s absolutely no reason for that in a lab where you have physical access to the phone, but it’s perfect for remote covert surveillance.

  6. So to ask a rhetorical question, why are the lamestream newsmedia not all over this like a shark on a chum stream? It would seem that at the very least, Faux News would jump on this as a scoop of how the administration was yet again trying to take away our rights. And yet even they seem to be at the most, lukewarm, when approaching the subject, only on occasion have I seen anyone supporting Apple and their side, although I admit that I only skim the news channels.
    Channels is a funny word, it reminds me of when I worked on a dairy farm, behind the cows where manure ran into the slurry tanks was a trough, also called a channel. How fitting.

    1. All the media channels are taking their marching orders from the Obama Administration. Is this not abundantly clear yet?

      Even Faux News is toeing the Administration line, “Apple refuses to unlock terrorist’s iPhone”, when the truth is what’s been ordered is WAAAY beyond a simple “unlock”. The other unreported truth is that the FBI has access to the iCloud backup, which was last performed pretty recently. There’s little, if anything, to be gained from the phone itself.

      Thank G-d most of the people watching are paying closer attention, if the rallies in support of Apple are any indication.

  7. this is the same fbi that was in cahoots with the irs while they were being weaponised against the presidents political enemies

    this is the same fbi thats not going to indict hillary for crimes that are so blatantly and patently obvious and that are tantamount to treason

    this is the same fbi that ran the fast and furious operation out of arizona

    they are not to be believed trusted or indulged in anything

    if loretta lynch wrote an op ed in the ny times saying that the sun will come out tomorrow i would assume that the world is ending tonight

    as any liberal entity we can assume two things of it: whatever it wants is good for democrats and bad for america

    you can tell if the fbi is scheming and lying…its mouth is moving

  8. I heard a statement one time, something along the lines of “Don’t think of a law as how it’s meant to be used. Think of a law in terms of how it can be abused.” Ok, so there are a LOT of iPhones out there. And everyone they “need” to investigate? They will know their associates, family members and friends and those addresses, their calendar where and when that person will be there and about for how long. They will know potentially banking information, company information. A lot of a persons life can be contained on a iPhone.

    Brings to mind one of my favorite videos.

    Think I’ll edit article and add it.

    1. Perhaps this quote from Lyndon B. Johnson?

      You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered.

      The President — any President — would be vetoing a lot more than signing, if he kept this in mind.

      1. THAT’S the one!! I thought it was Johnson, but then thought I must have been out of my ever lovin’ mind! Thank you SO much Archer!

  9. It was this week that I finally got off my lazy butt and did the proper work of looking into where you as an organization came from and how you started your mission. I went back to when the JPFO was stolen and then at the beginnings of your group and the writers you have here. I only knew of JPFO from reputation and always thought of them as upstanding and first class. I knew the name Aaron Zelman and that he was associated with them and never realized he had passed away, until I came here. It was a sad thing when I found that out, as I knew what he meant to gun rights for all, not just Jews.
    I have read about the freedom movement from such writers as Clair Wolfe and others for years. It is something that I have been concerned about my entire life, as I have seen the problem with too large of a government and what it threatens.
    I am sorry that I am posting this here, but it is the only forum that I could think of to put it in.
    What I have found out in the little research that I have done, is that I have to say how grateful I am to all of you that have stepped up to make this site and this organization a reality. I know that it is a labor of love, but also that it takes a lot of hard work and time away from your lives which could be spent on your families, or other pursuits, and I am, for one, thankful that you do this.
    I also want to say how amazed I am at how incredibly smart not only the writers here are, but also those who comment are. I have gotten into discussions with people who have taught me things I never knew, and people who have made me think, and made me study. All of this would never have happened were it not for this group of individuals devoted to making sure that the Jewish people are never again disarmed.
    So while I wish I could name all of you individually, please know that every time I read another one of your posts, it encourages me a little bit, and often teaches me something. So thank you, and please continue on.

    1. Pigpen51, that was beautiful! Hearing things like that makes it wonderful. Encouragement & praise are the BBQ sauce of life, the chocolate on the ice cream, the Israeli coffee in the cup, the……oh, never mind. You get the idea.

      Thank you for taking time to write that! You are quite a talented writer yourself.

      1. I forgot to mention that people like Sheila and Claire and Nikki respond to me. I mean, they are famous, bit time players in the freedom movement, and to take the time to write to the likes of me, is impressive. Again, thanks to everyone here who makes this the one forum that is the best hope the Jews have to maintain safety.

  10. Though loudly resisting the American government’s attempts to make it help break into the phone of a dead scumbag, Apple is very accommodating of the Chinese government’s attempts to keep tabs on the citizenry’s communications.

    Apple has censored apps that wouldn’t pass muster with the Chinese government, moved local user data onto servers operated by the state-owned China Telecom, and submitted to Chinese audits. According to James Lewis, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, “I can’t imagine the Chinese would tolerate end-to-end encryption or a refusal to cooperate with their police, particularly in a terrorism case.” Why the accommodation there?

    http://apple.slashdot.org/story/16/02/26/193230/apple-is-not-such-a-freedom-fighter-in-china?sdsrc=rel

  11. It’s maybe not that Apple is such a staunch defender of freedom, but that they realize if they cave to that extent in America their stock market rating takes a mega hit, and Americans won’t stand for it. They can choose from BlackBerry, a droid of some sort or get something off eBay for that matter. We currently still have SOME choice. Though I’m sure the federal government is working to “fix” that.

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