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273

FBI Couldn’t Get into WaPo Reporter’s iPhone Because It Had Lockdown Mode Enabled (www.404media.co)

submitted 5 hours ago by tonytins@pawb.social to c/technology@lemmy.world

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The FBI has been unable to access a Washington Post reporter’s seized iPhone because it was in Lockdown Mode, a sometimes overlooked feature that makes iPhones broadly more secure, according to recently filed court records.

The court record shows what devices and data the FBI was able to ultimately access, and which devices it could not, after raiding the home of the reporter, Hannah Natanson, in January as part of an investigation into leaks of classified information. It also provides rare insight into the apparent effectiveness of Lockdown Mode, or at least how effective it might be before the FBI may try other techniques to access the device.

“Because the iPhone was in Lockdown mode, CART could not extract that device,” the court record reads, referring to the FBI’s Computer Analysis Response Team, a unit focused on performing forensic analyses of seized devices. The document is written by the government, and is opposing the return of Natanson’s devices.

Archive: http://archive.today/gfTg9

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[–] Teal@lemmy.zip 12 points 3 hours ago (2 children)

If a person is using lockdown mode they more than likely also have Advanced Data Protection enabled. This removes iCloud keys on Apple’s side and is only stored on device.

In that case you hold the keys and it’s encrypted.

[–] NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

And if you don't think there are backdoors then I have a bridge to sell you.

The best you can hope for in any case is increased friction. Because if you have pissed off a government org to the point they declare you an actual national security threat.. you start realizing why israel et al tend to be known to have tools that can crack a few generations back.

Which is why journalists, when they talk about stuff like this, are pretty adamant that they don't trust those devices at all. One of the more common tactics is to have completely separate devices for sensitive communication that are kept physically isolated from any of their personal devices... and preferably in a place that a trusted associate knows about. If someone gets taken away in a black van? Someone else goes for a walk with a power drill for no apparent reason at all.

[–] Teal@lemmy.zip 3 points 54 minutes ago

Well those back doors don’t seem to be working in the actual case happening currently. What you’re saying is assumptions.

Also you’re the second commenter today to say they have a bridge to sell me. Is this old saying making a comeback or is it bots?

[–] voidsignal@lemmy.world -4 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

You still don't have the key. The device, allegedly, has it, but you have no access to the device.

So no, you still have zilsh.

[–] Teal@lemmy.zip 1 points 50 minutes ago

Yes you do. In fact Apple warns you several times to keep copies of the key secure because there’s no way for them to help if it’s lost.