Eddy Cue says FBI could force Apple to secretly activate iPhone camera, microphone if precedent is
Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue said the government, if successful in compelling Apple's assistance with an FBI investigation involving a passcode-locked iPhone, could one day force the company to participate in clandestine and ethically ambiguous operations, like the remote activation of an iPhone's camera and microphone without user knowledge.
In a recently aired Spanish language interview conducted by Univision, and later reported by Business Insider from a translation provided by Apple, Cue painted a troubling picture of what is at stake in the company's legal battle against the FBI.
Apple sparked a contentious debate on digital encryption in February by resisting a court order compelling it help the FBI in an ongoing investigation into last year's San Bernardino massacre. Fulfilling the government request entails the creation of a flawed version of iOS vulnerable to brute-force attacks, which can then be applied to a passcode-locked iPhone 5c used by terror suspect Syed Rizwan Farook.
"When they can get us to create a new system to do new things, where will it stop?" Cue said. "For example, one day [the FBI] may want us to open your phone's camera, microphone. Those are things we can't do now. But if they can force us to do that, I think that's very bad."
Cue's allegory to a surveillance state echoes cautionary statements heard from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who in an interview last month warned a government win could set a dangerous precedent. Cook also used the iPhone camera example, saying FBI agents might one day ask for remote access to iPhone hardware.
As argued by civil rights activists in an amicus brief last week, the FBI has a less-than-stellar record when it comes to privacy rights. Of note, the agency's notorious Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) trampled Americans' First Amendment rights by aggressively surveilling groups and individuals deemed subversive. Activated with the Communist Party in mind, COINTELPRO later morphed into a far-reaching apparatus that at one time kept tabs on high-ranking government officials.
When asked whether the government or Apple is doing more to protect individuals, Cue said both sides are moving toward the same goal. He added that while Apple engineers are working to secure its devices against nefarious elements, they cannot do so effectively if the FBI continues to chip away at existing iOS encryption protocols.
On a personal note, Cue said he speaks Spanish with parents, Cubans who immigrated to America for its dedication to civil liberties. The report said Cue intimated that those very rights are at stake with the California encryption case.
In a recently aired Spanish language interview conducted by Univision, and later reported by Business Insider from a translation provided by Apple, Cue painted a troubling picture of what is at stake in the company's legal battle against the FBI.
Apple sparked a contentious debate on digital encryption in February by resisting a court order compelling it help the FBI in an ongoing investigation into last year's San Bernardino massacre. Fulfilling the government request entails the creation of a flawed version of iOS vulnerable to brute-force attacks, which can then be applied to a passcode-locked iPhone 5c used by terror suspect Syed Rizwan Farook.
"When they can get us to create a new system to do new things, where will it stop?" Cue said. "For example, one day [the FBI] may want us to open your phone's camera, microphone. Those are things we can't do now. But if they can force us to do that, I think that's very bad."
Cue's allegory to a surveillance state echoes cautionary statements heard from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who in an interview last month warned a government win could set a dangerous precedent. Cook also used the iPhone camera example, saying FBI agents might one day ask for remote access to iPhone hardware.
As argued by civil rights activists in an amicus brief last week, the FBI has a less-than-stellar record when it comes to privacy rights. Of note, the agency's notorious Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) trampled Americans' First Amendment rights by aggressively surveilling groups and individuals deemed subversive. Activated with the Communist Party in mind, COINTELPRO later morphed into a far-reaching apparatus that at one time kept tabs on high-ranking government officials.
When asked whether the government or Apple is doing more to protect individuals, Cue said both sides are moving toward the same goal. He added that while Apple engineers are working to secure its devices against nefarious elements, they cannot do so effectively if the FBI continues to chip away at existing iOS encryption protocols.
On a personal note, Cue said he speaks Spanish with parents, Cubans who immigrated to America for its dedication to civil liberties. The report said Cue intimated that those very rights are at stake with the California encryption case.
Comments
I always thought that that was kind of paranoid and a bit extreme, but who knows, maybe not. Maybe he was onto something there.
Guessing Schiller will be next.
Why the hell is the fbi so stupid?!?
Microphone is difficult to fully disable without monkeying/destroying internals.
You can reroute it System Prefs to the line input, and even plug a dummy cable in,
but in a dystopian future of OS backdoors, would be hard to completely neutralize internal mics.
The better question is what led you to believe the FBI was smart or had integrity?
Because that same indoctrination applies to more agencies than just the FBI.
Once you get decently experienced at database work, you realize it is just an article of faith that the government is not fully scraping your communications, including voice, all financials, and perhaps video, for further analysis. And likely corporations do the same thing, although they at least face some legal liability for doing so.
The fact is that it is technically possible and not terribly difficult to do. So, where does our faith lie? How do we feel in our hearts? There's no reason to really argue about technical matters because it's increasingly feasible and inexpensive (and you could never reasonably figure out whether people are watching your movements).
Let me even put a truly crazy third paragraph in. If we allow AI to watch and listen to everybody all the time, it will know how to manipulate and then potentially kill us. So yeah, good evening.
I also hope Tim and Apple have contingency plans in place should they lose this case. I'm also aware of legislation making its way which FORBIDS companies from disobeying FBI requests, sponsored by that traitor Diane Feinstein, among others.
Or a tiny led that lights up when the mic is activated so that ear detection works better, yes ear detection will do it.
Then any request will be mute. So to speak.
Don't depend on lights to warn you.
Because they're probably the largest group of non-english speaking customers in the U.S.?
Right - because secret surveillance legislation will not include a clause that states the surveillance must be undetectable to the end user of the device. LOL. As if.
If something like this does come to pass - we'll certainly see many specialty cases hit the market that all contain features aimed to disrupt this kind of surveillance. Some of them may even work.
"...while Apple engineers are working to secure its devices against nefarious elements, they cannot do so effectively if the FBI continues to chip away at existing iOS encryption protocols.”
It has become abundantly clear that the FBI is not interested in protecting individual privacy. Despite what Director James Comey may spin – stating that ‘privacy is very important’ to the FBI in his ultra-prepared rehearsed statements in front of Congressional Committee hearings – fact is privacy is only important to him when the FBI and all other law enforcement organizations everywhere have unfettered access to it.
Guys like Comey will only be satisfied when America is a police surveillance state. With new laws being drafted right now in the U.S. Congress – and in other countries, particularly France – to this affect, it is happening right before our eyes.
Once it happens, expect hackers to run amok unchecked – because there will be no secure encryption and no protection. And then expect the FBI to demand even more funding as identity theft explodes out of control. All in the name of “national security”. This is what happens when political hacks and law enforcement ignoramuses are put in charge.
Mark my words, the millisecond China jumps in and drafts the same kind of full-access surveillance mobile device "back-door" laws of their own – Apple stock will tank.
Excuse my rant. But I am so disappointed by these gov’t zealots wrecking Apple and taking away our liberty and privacy.
For example - this article implies that *IF* the government is successful here, then one day they *may* have the ability to secretly turn on your camera and microphone. That's a true statement - but it's misleading in that it implies that if Apple wins this fight, it protects us from the FBI directly accessing our cameras in the future.
In reality, they are not really related at all. The FBI will go after the camera and microphone access in the future regardless of what happens here. Win or lose in this particular case doesn't mean much as far as the future is concerned. This is one of the first battles in what will be a very long war. A loss will hardly slow down the FBI. They'll be back - again and again - trying different angles - trying the same angles in different courts. Other countries will definitely join in making demands of their own. Settle in folks. This privacy and security issue is one that will be here for a very, VERY long time.
In the absence of legislation existing or a reason to wire two switches why would Apple wire two switches.