Phone encryption debate will reignite over attempted Trump assassination
Former President Donald Trump would-be assassin's locked phone is in FBI custody. Stand by for the next attack on encryption, privacy, and security.
Privacy and security rely on encryption, a bane to investigators
The manufacturer of the shooter's phone is unknown. It could be Apple, Google, Samsung, or any of the multitude of other OEMs out there.
Given that the shooter is in the US, it's more than 50/50 that it's an iPhone.
However, one thing is certain -- encryption will be the problem. According to a report from The New York Times, the FBI obtained the shooter's phone and failed to gain access to it.
If any of this sounds familiar, it's because the FBI and its war on consumer encryption rears its head any time tragic events involve national security and smartphone security. While we can't predict the future, it seems almost certain that the FBI will utilize the tragedy and urgency of the situation to compel tech companies to do the impossible -- break encryption enough to help the good guys while thwarting the bad guys.
That is not how encryption works.
Either a device is fully encrypted, or it isn't. There isn't some magical in-between space that lets cops solve crimes while keeping bad guys from committing crimes. It's like asking for a gun that only kills criminals.
Despite the impossible nature of a good guy back door, the FBI has requested one again and again, particularly from Apple. Like with the San Bernardino shooting and Pensacola shooting.
Another pattern from those events is one that the FBI isn't keen on the public knowing. The FBI unlocked those devices without Apple's help by buying hacking mechanisms from foreign entities, likely Cellebrite's tools.
Cellebrite has hacking tools for iPhones
If Apple is compelled to hand over data, it only has so much information available. Average users will have data stored in iCloud like Mail, text messages, or even iMessages depending on your settings.
If the user has Advanced Data Protection turned on, the data set is even more limited. The FBI would be able to get almost nothing from Apple.
So, we all must stand by and wait to see if the FBI cries encryption again in light of the attempted assassination and locked smartphone. Or see if they do the smart thing and work with the smartphone makers from the start or ultimately pay for a hacking tool without asking to ruin consumer encryption.
Given the former President's previous stance on encryption, legislation could pass under a future administration forcing Apple and others to compromise their devices for the sake of the good guys. The issue continues to be perilous, and while it isn't the most important thing on the ballot in the fall, realize that personal privacy and security could be decided by how you vote in the 2024 election.
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Comments
The "good guys" depends on what country you live in, and may be influenced by political, religious and other affiliations.
These hacking tools are heavily used by both sides in many countries. Politicians are frequent targets, often by the opposition parties, military, militias... In the US, there are fringe associated groups of both major parties that hack major players of opposition parties. In the US, there are multiple fringe parties, from far right (neo-Nazi) to far left (Marxist).
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/fbi-says-it-has-gained-access-trump-shooting-suspects-phone-2024-07-15/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/15/trump-rally-shooting-suspect-phone-fbi
How that was done is not clear, but obviously, the found a way. Could be Msuberly was correct. Using the dead man's body to unlock it might work.
No idea if that would work for a dead person
Since 1996, when we had our last mass shooting event, Australia implemented a comprehensive programme of gun confiscation (yes, the government took our guns from us by force; but paid us for them because it was a compulsory acquisition of property) and gun control (practically nobody can get a gun licence, save for game hunters). Guess what! We've had no mass shootings and no political assassinations since then. The other side of the coin is that political assassinations aren't part of our political history or culture because our politicians don't turn up the temperature the way America's Republicans do; although the Libs (our conservatives) here try sometimes.
Y'all can argue the toss and try on all the counterpoints you like, but the empirical evidence from Australia is that gun control works - so stop with the faux arguments about encryption and what you can learn about the shooter in hindsight (what he had on his phone doesn't matter now, because he carried out his attack - he was allowed to sneak onto a roof, within a couple hundred metres of the oompa loompa, with a rifle in hand).
America needs gun control, not encryption hacks or backdoors.
But getting back on topic...
As I said in my earlier post, the phone seems to have been hacked or otherwise accessed by the FBI. I've not read about the FBI complaining about Apple and the lack of back doors, so I guess they either found a backdoor or used the dead body to access the phone. In any case, I don't see this as a renewed call for Apple to create back doors. As long as the FBI finds its own way in, they seem to be content with that.
Neither one mentions the brand of the phone, which is the main issue brought up in this article. The Guardian's article says an iPhone (not in this case) was hacked in Australia by Azimuth Security. It wouldn't surprise me if they simply have the Cellebrite system of a hacked version of it. I do believe the FBI has purchased the Cellebrite system, which I believe is a criminal act on the part of our government. If they did purchase this system, I would like to see the procurement paperwork because Israel is still on at least the DOE sensitive country list requiring special procurement processes. For those of you who don't know this, Israel is one of the major countries who constantly hack USA systems. Look it up. I still believe the shooter's phone was not one from Apple, especially since they already got into it. Of course, an iPhone using just a 4 digit PIN isn't that difficult to break into.
BTW guys, if you in insist on going off-topic, for example, gun-control, this thread will end up closed and those comments deleted. Seems silly to shut down an otherwise pertinent discussion by ignoring staff warnings.
We all have opinions on these matters. Some of us are deeply impacted by these issues, and have understandably strong emotions about them.
But let’s all cut Wes some slack for trying to see down the road a bit. These are trying times, and we’re all concerned for the future, even if we look at it differently from one another. So again, be kind to Wes. We’re all just trying to do our best to navigate this world we live in.