Israeli firm helping FBI to open encrypted iPhone: report

Reuters

Israel’s Cellebrite, a provider of mobile forensic software, is helping the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s attempt to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California shooters, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported on Wednesday.

If Cellebrite succeeds, then the FBI will no longer need the help of Apple Inc (AAPL.O), the Israeli daily said, citing unnamed industry sources.

Cellebrite officials declined to comment on the matter.  

Apple is engaged in a legal battle with the U.S. Justice Department over a judge’s order that it write new software to disable passcode protection on the iPhone used by the shooter.

The two sides were set to face off in court on Tuesday, but on Monday a federal judge agreed to the government’s request to postpone the hearing after U.S. prosecutors said a “third party” had presented a possible method for opening an encrypted iPhone.

The development could bring an abrupt end to the high-stakes legal showdown which has become a lightning rod for a broader debate on data privacy in the United States.

Cellebrite, a subsidiary of Japan’s Sun Corp (6736.T), has its revenue split between two businesses: a forensics system used by law enforcement, military and intelligence that retrieves data hidden inside mobile devices and technology for mobile retailers.

(Reporting by Tova Cohen; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-encryption-cellebrite-idUSKCN0WP17J

12 thoughts on “Israeli firm helping FBI to open encrypted iPhone: report

    1. LOL… that’s o.k., Katie.

      You beat me on the Chump yarmulke article. It was the first one I sent in last night (early morning, actually). 🙂

  1. Don’t you just love how the CHOSEN PEOPLE can get away with anything. Especially when they’re in another person’s country and it’s none of their FRIGGIN’ BUSINESS!!!

    Sick sons of bitches! If you or I did that, we’d be put in jail and hung by the country we did it to. I’m sick of this shit!

  2. Well. I tried 2 times now to post a comment, interception happened somewhere, hopefully the 3rd time’s the charm. Of course, nothing bad said, it’ll slide through like poop through a goose. The Israelis and the FBI, can you see anything wrong with this? I sure do. Testing, testing, one, two. Yup, for snide, anti Israeli remarks, I must have to click “Edit” and sneak ’em in after the comment is up, at least on this article. I’m not makin’ this up people. F’N joos. It appears I have some computer “housecleaning” to do.

    Remember, these are the same people who were in charge of security at the Twin Towers on 911,
    the same who installed one of Magna BPS’s “Owl” cameras in Fukushima Diiachi’s reactor #3, which appeared strikingly similar to a “gun type” nuclear weapon, right after Japan promised to enrich uranium for the Iranians.

    Coinkydink? I don’t think so.

  3. If this criminal conspiracy succeeds in hacking through Apple’s legitimate and copyrighted security, Apple should sue their yarmulkas off for trademark infringement and cyber terrorism.

    You bet if any of us did this, we’d be prosecuted fully.

    1. The FBI should be prosecuted for treason for this act

      If this country’s people had enough balls , every dam one of us would shut down all our devices and computers , not go to work , not pay ANY taxes , and full on revolt over crap like this
      Yeah I really want Israel to have the ability and FBI authority and access to all our data and private communications , banking info , SS# etc .. Once this Pandora’s box is open there is no going back ,
      This is an affront to every man woman and child of this country
      This is nuts

      1. The FBI should be prosecuted for treason simply for existing. It really should have happened a long time ago — certainly after the Waco Massacre.

        Even SUPPOSING the FBI didn’t set that fire deliberately — and I believe they did — obviously they didn’t pump tear gas into the building by accident. What kind of sick bastards would gas a building filled with young children without an URGENT need to do so? That building was isolated and surrounded, with its inhabitants posing no threat to the public.

        The Fedcoats have been out of control for decades in this country, and far too many people don’t seem to care unless it affects them personally. By the time it does, it might be too late to do anything about it.

  4. I sincerely hope no one believes Apple is genuinely protecting any freedom from gov intrusion as the ceo is a foreskin gobbling butt pirate who promotes lgbtuvwxyz rights and is a board member of the nfl, which boasts 85% ownership by joos and is the #1 go-to military recruitment tool.

  5. What a big surprise this is — the “only democracy in the Middle East” going to bat against freedom once again with technological efforts to further increase the power of government. We can file this under the rubric of “we are all Palestinians now.”

    Of course, there is still the strong possibility that the Fedcoats were able to access the phone right from the beginning, and that this is all a charade intended to give people misplaced confidence in the security of their consumer electronics. And even supposing some consumer electronics are relatively safe today, there’s no guarantee of that remaining the case tomorrow.

    The bottom line: DON’T use consumer electronics for sensitive communications without using coded phrases whose meanings have been agreed upon in advance and IN PERSON. One-time pads are another option if you know what you are doing.

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