Apple Explains Why It’s ‘Impossible’ for It to Unlock Most of Its Devices at Law Enforcement Request
“For devices running iOS 8 or higher, Apple would not have the technical ability to do what the government requests—take possession of a password protected device from the government and extract unencrypted use data from that device for the government,” Apple stated. “Among the security features in iOS 8 is a feature that prevents anyone without the device’s passcode from accessing the device’s encrypted data. This includes Apple.”
Overall, Apple said that 90 percent of its devices are running on iOS 8 or higher. It could, however, “extract certain categories of unencrypted data from a passcode locked iOS device” on these other 10 percent using older operating systems, which includes the phone involved in this case running iOS 7.
It makes some other stipulations though.
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As for the burden performing such a task would place on the company, if the device were in acceptable working order Apple said it should not be a “a substantial financial or resource burden.” Where it does become burdensome is when the number of these requests for data from the government increases.
“Each extraction diverts man hours and hardware and software from Apple’s normal business operations,” the brief stated.
Apple took this opportunity to also address the issue of the government’s request for data as it pertains to user privacy as well.
“For devices running iOS 8 or higher, Apple would not have the technical ability to do what the government requests—take possession of a password protected device from the government and extract unencrypted use data from that device for the government,” Apple stated. “Among the security features in iOS 8 is a feature that prevents anyone without the device’s passcode from accessing the device’s encrypted data. This includes Apple.”
Overall, Apple said that 90 percent of its devices are running on iOS 8 or higher. It could, however, “extract certain categories of unencrypted data from a passcode locked iOS device” on these other 10 percent using older operating systems, which includes the phone involved in this case running iOS 7.
It makes some other stipulations though.
[clip]
As for the burden performing such a task would place on the company, if the device were in acceptable working order Apple said it should not be a “a substantial financial or resource burden.” Where it does become burdensome is when the number of these requests for data from the government increases.
“Each extraction diverts man hours and hardware and software from Apple’s normal business operations,” the brief stated.
Apple took this opportunity to also address the issue of the government’s request for data as it pertains to user privacy as well.
