The battle continues between the FBI and tech industry giant, Apple. The FBI are wanting to access the contents of an iPhone belonging to a terrorist known as the San Bernadino shooter who shot 14 people in the United States. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, is warning against allowing such a bypass of security services because of the prescedent it might set and is also warning against the criminal hackers that could get their hands on the software that would need to be invented to make such a backdoor possible.
In a recent Apple release, they say, “The government says: “Just this once” and “Just this phone.” But the government knows those statements are not true; indeed the government has filed multiple other applications for similar orders, some of which are pending in other courts.”
In more recent developments, other tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft have vowed to file briefs to the courts to try and prevent a magistrate’s order of forcing Apple’s hand and strongarming them into developing the software to allow access to the contents of the phone. It is rumored that Twitter will join the fight as well.
Along with companies voicing their support for Apple, the situation could escalate to a future of hardware and software engineers who would have to build backdoors into devices so that security of state can be ensured in the future.
“Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices. In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks—from restaurants and banks to stores and homes. No reasonable person would find that acceptable,” Tim Cook said.