FBI winning the case creates more risks, Apple says

Mar 10, 2016 08:55 GMT  ·  By
The iPhone camera could be used by the FBI to spy on users at some time, Apple warns
   The iPhone camera could be used by the FBI to spy on users at some time, Apple warns

Apple’s dispute against the FBI continues with new statements, this time coming from Eddy Cue, the company’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services.

In a recent interview with Spanish television Univision, Eddy Cue explained that if Apple loses the San Bernardino case against the FBI, snooping on users across the United States would become extremely easy and the feds could go as far as using the iPhone camera to spy on Americans.

“Someday they will want [Apple] to turn on [a user's] camera or microphone. Where does this stop? In a divorce case? In an immigration case? In a tax case with the IRS? Some day, someone will be able to turn on a phone's microphone. This should not happen in this country,” he said.

“They want the key to your back door and you don’t have one”

A California judge has ordered Apple to build custom software that would allow the FBI to brute-force attack an iPhone allegedly used by one of the terrorists in the San Bernardino attacks in December 2015. Apple has since opposed the order, emphasizing that helping the police break into the phone purchased by a customer could create additional risks and would be a severe violation of privacy.

Apple’s Tim Cook explained that should such software be created, the FBI could then be able to break into any iPhone in the United States and a similar message has now been reiterated by Cue himself.

“What they want is you to give a key to the back door of your house and you do not have the key. Since you don't have the key, they want to change the lock. And that key, once it exists, exists not only for us. Terrorists, criminals, pirates, all too will find that key to open all phones,” he said.

For the moment, none of the two sides is willing to back down and give up on its demands, so a court hearing on March 22 in California is due to decide whether Apple must unlock the San Bernardino iPhone or not.