The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Apple Inc. are in a midst of information battle. The Apple is contesting FBI to release their secret method of unlocking the encrypted iPhone owned by Syed Farook.
NBC News reported that the FBI wanted Apple to help them break their user's security, specifically to unlock an iPhone through creating a tool that will make it possible for them to keep on guessing the phone's passcode without locking after several unsuccessful attempts until they get the right one. This might be of help in seeing if there is something beneficial in that phone in solving how the suspects operated. Although the FBI is only requesting for one specific case, the software that will be provided would work in general as it will be applicable on all phone of the same model.
On the 2nd of March 2015, Apple filed a formal objection to this request. "Apple believes deeply that people in the United States and around the world deserve data protection, security and privacy. Sacrificing one for the other only puts people and countries at greater risk", the company stated as mentioned in The Guardian, which was supported by one of the affected families in the shooting incident.
However, the FBI already withdrew its legal effort to request Apple's assistance in the investigation because they successfully found a way in unlocking the phone without their help. With regards to telling Apple how they did it, according to Yahoo, the FBI Director James Comey said in his speech at Kenyon College that if they will tell Apple, the tech company will fix the problem, leading the FBI to end up with nothing again, and that they haven't decided yet if they will share the information to Apple.
The issue started with the FBI, asking a favor from Apple and ended with Apple, now demanding the information from the FBI. Withholding this information will help the Justice Department if they will have a similar situation in the future, requiring breaking an iPhone's security. However, things should be considered since it might ended up with wrong hands and be used in illegal deeds. Nonetheless, there is no news yet if there will be a trial for the discussion of this matter.
