Secure connections are fundamental to exercising freedom of opinion while expressing in this digital world which allow the maintenance of opinions with no interference while securing right to seek, send or receive information and ideas.
The FBI has of late been at loggerheads with the smartphone manufacturer, Apple. The discourse is caused by a standoff caused by a conflict that pits National security against customer security. The FBI sought court intervention to compel Apple to create a flaw that the FBI could exploit to access the iPhone belonging to Farook, the terrorist responsible for shooting and killing 14 people while injuring 22 more in San Bernardino. The bureau would like to access information that is stored in the user’s iCloud account. Although FBI maintains that the backdoor they require will be used on the single phone, it has raised questions on the future privacy if users as the government may use the same flaw to access other user accounts.
The standoff, which has seen Apple and FBI clash in the public domain over security of its clients and assurance of total privacy for users, safe from any form of surveillance. The company has undergone years of advancement in developing its operating system to be secure. The request from the FBI places the technology mogul in a difficult situation as the backdoor has never been created before. Additionally, the company policy assures users that their products are safe from hackers, unwanted surveillance as well as other cyber-attacks.
In the modern world, people use the cloud to store all kinds of data, ranging from personal information, business and public information. The iOS is one of the most secure systems, which makes it trustworthy among users. The system has no hacking mechanism that could allow unwanted prying eyes like the FBI. The federal government is also notorious for spying on citizens without consent. Allowance to hack into Apple’s products would give the FBI a platform to exploit and intrude on people’s privacy. The fact that the FBI are the cause for the lock on the phone by trying to hack into it, it shows their will to use crude methods to spy on people they want to track. Additionally, the people will be denied their guarantee of a fool-proof system that is secure for use.
For years Apple argues that it has used encryption to protect customer’s personal information as they believe it’s the only way to keep information safe where they even put data out of their own reach as iPhone contents are merely customers business to worry about. Building a backdoor to the iPhone data is not simple or just clean solution as in today’s world a key to encrypted system will make protections unsecure and once information is revealed or by passing code anyone with that knowledge can access information of interest.
The FBI suggests the OS be used once but once created the technique is usable over and over again and on different devices. For years national security and cryptologists have been warning against weakening of encryption as this means hurting Law Abiding citizens who rely on companies like Apple for data protection as criminals and hackers can still encrypt using tools readily available to them any time.
FBI is proposing using All Writes Act of 1789 to justify claims to expand authority. By this the government would have Apple remove security features and later adding new capabilities to the operating systems hence allowing an automatic pass code to enable unlocking of iPhone by “brute force” trying many codes /combinations using speed of modern computer. These implications are chilling to customers as by using All Writs Act gives government power to any device and capture data of interest.
The government then would require companies like Apple breech privacy by building software that intercepts personal messages, financial data, health records ,location tracking, access camera or phones microphones prior to customers knowledge.
While FBI’s intentions would be valid, it’s still not right to force on building of a backdoor as ultimately this demand still undermines liberty and freedom the same government protects. Apple argues that writing software for the iPhone used during attack will only create a backdoor for several other devices but still the government wants particularly Farook’s iPhone opened to further the investigations.
Apple has since then gained support from Access Now, Wickr Foundation, American civil liberties Union promotion of freedom of opinion and expression. However, more and more companies are joining Apple in support, they include twitter, Reedit, Airbnb, eBay, kickstarter, LinkedIn, meetup, wickr, automatic, cloud flare where they argue that forcing a private company to develop affirmatively a software not currently in-existence in order to break security systems erodes privacy and protection as much as transparency on how such data is to be used or shared.
Further amicus briefs in support of Apple came from Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Snap chat, drop box, Cisco systems, maxilla, nest, Pin interest, what app and yahoo which delves into All Writs Act and the way government is about to interpret more than 200-year-old law to be an open end source for new powers. By this the government is seeking power to conscript tech companies and engineers to develop products they don’t want to create or would not be created without government compulsion.
Intel Company says by compelling Apple to provide such assistance would have global implications beyond this case and that the congress should be the one acting on the case due to the case’s far reaching implications .Congress is the one responsible for crafting rules that applies equally to all technology companies and all types of information.
According to L.A times a 41-page amicus brief has been filed by relatives of the victim’s where they are urging the judge to side with FBI against Apple but Samsung Company feels that importance of encryption and protecting consumer’s privacy is being overlooked. I hope you enjoy this short article! your comments and thoughts always welcome. Have a great day!