During a press league on Monday , Barr turn to DOJ ’s unmistakable standoff between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Apple over two locked iPhones that belonged to shooter Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani , a 2d lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force . According to Barr , the agency “ attempt and received tribunal authority based on probable movement to search both phones in an effort to run down all leads and project out with whom the shooter was communicating . ”
“ We have require Apple for their help in unlocking the crap-shooter ’s iPhones . So far Apple has not afford us any substantive assistance , ” Barr said .
Photo: ALASTAIR PIKE/AFP (Getty)
But in a lengthy affirmation shared with Gizmodo , Apple tell it “ reject[s ] the picture that Apple has not provided essential aid in the Pensacola probe . Our responses to their many requests since the attack have been well-timed , thorough and are on-going . ” The company added that FBI petition by its office in Jacksonville , Pensacola , and New York “ resulted in many gigabytes of information that we turn over to investigators . In every instance , we respond with all of the data that we had . ”
But the company also said — counter to what Barr claimed during Monday ’s press issue — that it was only made aware of “ the cosmos of a second iPhone link up with the investigation and the FBI ’s unfitness to access either iPhone ” on Jan. 6 , a full calendar month after the incident .
“ We are preserve to work with the FBI , and our engine room teams late had a call to provide extra technical aid . Apple has great respect for the Bureau ’s work , and we will work tirelessly to help them investigate this tragic approach on our nation , ” Apple order in the statement . “ We have always maintain there is no such matter as a backdoor just for the dear guys . Backdoors can also be exploited by those who threaten our national security and the information surety of our customers . Today , natural law enforcement has access to more information than ever before in history , so Americans do not have to prefer between weakening encryption and solving investigations . We finger strongly encoding is vital to protecting our area and our drug user ’ data . ”
Citing a reservoir conversant with the matter , theNew York Timesreported Monday that the two sound that belonged to the torpedo were an iPhone 7 and an iPhone 5 . When take specifically whether the company mean to unlock the phones , Apple only taper Gizmodo back to its statement .
Apple ’s story ofrefusing to unlock iPhonesat the request of law enforcement was publicly castigated by Barr this week , and the attorney general said Monday the incident “ billet perfectly illustrates why it is vital that investigators be able to get access to digital grounds once they have hold a homage parliamentary law based on probable cause . ” But privacy urge andsecurity expertsdisagree , claiming that could open up devices up to hacking . In a statement to Gizmodo , Senator Ron Wydenbacked upthose claims .
“ If William Barr and Donald Trump succeed in weakening encryption with a back door , they ’ll also make it far easier for criminals and hackers and marauder to get into the digital life story of you and your family , ” Wyden enunciate . “ If there were a backdoor in American phones , terrorists and malefactor would sure enough shift to foreign encryption services outside the orbit of American law enforcement . ”
Apple ’s full statement bring home the bacon to Gizmodo is as stick to :
We were devastated to pick up of the tragic terrorist attack on members of the US armed services at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola , Florida on December 6th . We have the greatest respect for legal philosophy enforcement and routinely work with police across the body politic on their investigations . When practice of law enforcement requests our assistance , our squad do work around the clock to furnish them with the data we have .
We decline the characterization that Apple has not provided substantive assistance in the Pensacola investigation . Our reception to their many requests since the attack have been timely , thorough and are ongoing .
Within hours of the FBI ’s first asking on December 6th , we produced a wide variety of information colligate with the investigating . From December 7th through the 14th , we received six extra sound requests and in response provided information including iCloud backup , news report information and transactional data point for multiple accounts .
We react to each request promptly , often within hours , partake in information with FBI offices in Jacksonville , Pensacola and New York . The enquiry resulted in many gigabytes of selective information that we work over to investigators . In every case , we responded with all of the information that we had .
The FBI only notified us on January 6th that they needed additional assistance — a month after the onrush occurred . Only then did we learn about the world of a 2nd iPhone associate with the investigation and the FBI ’s inability to get at either iPhone . It was not until January 8th that we received a subpoena ad testificandum for information related to the second iPhone , which we respond to within hours . Early outreach is vital to access info and find extra option .
We are continuing to work with the FBI , and our engineering team recently had a call to provide additional technical assistance . Apple has great regard for the Bureau ’s employment , and we will work tirelessly to serve them investigate this tragical approach on our nation .
We have always maintain there is no such affair as a backdoor just for the dear guy . Backdoors can also be exploited by those who jeopardize our internal security and the data security of our customers . Today , law enforcement has memory access to more data point than ever before in account , so Americans do not have to select between weakening encoding and solving investigations . We sense strongly encoding is vital to protecting our state and our users ’ data point .
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