The FBI Is Trying To Force Its Way Into Another Locked iPhone
The battle between the FBI and locked phones is far from over. The FBI is currently trying to crack into another locked iPhone that once belonged to a now deceased terrorist. The iPhone in question belonged to Dahir Adan, who stabbed ten people in a Minnesota mall before a police officer shot and killed him. ISIS has claimed credit for the attack over social media.
FBI special agent Rich Thorton recently stated, “Dahir Adan’s iPhone is locked. We are in the process of assessing our legal and technical options to gain access to this device and the data it may contain.”
It is unclear what what model iPhone Adan owned and what operating system it used. Since 2014 with iOS 8, Apple has encrypted iPhones and iPads in such a way that they cannot be decrypted by the company. This could prove to be a crucial detail if the FBI demands that Apple unlock the phone.
Last year the FBI demanded that Apple write a new version of its operating system in order to unlock San Bernardino shooter Rizwan Farook’s iPhone. Apple refused and the FBI filed a lawsuit. The lawsuit was only dropped when the FBI discovered its own method to break into the iPhone. The agency eventually spent roughly $1.3 million USD to crack the iPhone 5c.
The FBI is currently investigating as much of Adan’s electronic footprint as possible. The FBI has so far plowed through 780 gigabytes of data from multiple computers and mobile devices. Thorton remarked, “We are conducting an extensive review of his social media and other online activity”. It remains to be seen whether the FBI will also pressure Apple to unlock Adan’s iPhone.
FBI special agent Rich Thorton recently stated, “Dahir Adan’s iPhone is locked. We are in the process of assessing our legal and technical options to gain access to this device and the data it may contain.”
It is unclear what what model iPhone Adan owned and what operating system it used. Since 2014 with iOS 8, Apple has encrypted iPhones and iPads in such a way that they cannot be decrypted by the company. This could prove to be a crucial detail if the FBI demands that Apple unlock the phone.
Last year the FBI demanded that Apple write a new version of its operating system in order to unlock San Bernardino shooter Rizwan Farook’s iPhone. Apple refused and the FBI filed a lawsuit. The lawsuit was only dropped when the FBI discovered its own method to break into the iPhone. The agency eventually spent roughly $1.3 million USD to crack the iPhone 5c.
The FBI is currently investigating as much of Adan’s electronic footprint as possible. The FBI has so far plowed through 780 gigabytes of data from multiple computers and mobile devices. Thorton remarked, “We are conducting an extensive review of his social media and other online activity”. It remains to be seen whether the FBI will also pressure Apple to unlock Adan’s iPhone.
