FBI Tests The Waters On Another Attempt To Force Apple To Unlock An iPhone

Earlier this year, as you recall, there were two big cases in which the DOJ and FBI sought to force Apple to make significant technological changes to iPhone software in order to allow the DOJ to brute force the passcode on some iPhones used by some criminals. Eventually, after Apple (and others) pushed back, and public opinion was turning against the FBI, the DOJ miraculously announced that it found its way into both iPhones and the cases were dropped. But the issue of forcing companies (and Apple especially) to backdoor their way into encrypted iPhones certainly has not been dropped. And it appears that the FBI may be testing the waters to see if it can try again.

You may recall the knife attack in a Minnesota mall last month that wounded 10 individuals. The attacker, Dahir Adan, was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer. The FBI is still investigating and guess what? Adan had an iPhone. And it's locked.

Thornton said the Federal Bureau of Investigation is still investigating Adan's activities and wants access to his cell phone.
"Dahir Adan's iPhone is locked and we are in the process of assessing our legal and technical options to gain access to this device and the data it may contain," Thornton said.

"Technical options" meaning if any of the previously obtained methods will work to break in... and "legal" options as in going back to court to try, once again, to abuse the All Writs Act to force Apple to create backdoored code. Stay tuned...

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