Governments around the world struggle to come to terms with the issues surrounding the security of data.
We try to keep you informed about Apple Mac related stories Sohail Yousaf who provides Apple Mac support Sussex for Tamite has been following this story for us.
The Apple v FBI case currently being played out in US courts is the culmination of a long running row that has been brewing between intelligence agencies and the technology industry.
Governments or rather intelligence agencies have been long-time critics of the growing availability of encryption, a technology which is being increasingly used to make data secure on networks and devices and only available to authorised users and intended recipients.
Encryption is an old technology literally thousands of years old, Caesar wasn’t just responsible for creating salad dressings he also had his own cypher.
Sohail of Tamite Apple Mac support Sussex comments that with the advent of computing and the development of more complicated algorithms has resulted in encryption that to all intents and purposes is unbreakable. Yes of course all encryption is in theory breakable, but when the time taken to break it is greater than the average lifetime then it becomes a pointless exercise.
As an expert in IT security and a specialist in Apple Mac support Sussex Sohail points to the fact our own GCHQ have been stressing over the fact that the encryption gives any self-respecting terrorist the ability to communicate securely with a minimal chance of the content of the message being read by hostile agencies.
On a more positive note they are probably finding it quite difficult to snoop on the rest of us.
So what is to be done, well the authorities would like to have back doors built in to the security so that they can access the information that encryption increasingly denies them.
The industry argues that by providing backdoors for government agencies, will be counter-productive, criminals and terrorists will just refrain from using systems that they know will be compromised. By building in vulnerability the same back doors are available to potential hackers, building in vulnerabilities goes against the grain for companies that have spent time and money on trying to eradicate vulnerabilities to make their products more secure for the end user.
Because of the issues surrounding Cybercrime customers are becoming increasingly aware of the volumes of data our every-day devices store, the companies behind those devices have responded to those concerns by adding layers of security to the devices.
The Apple vs FBI case
The FBI and Apple are fighting a public battle in US courts that may have long term ramifications for the IT Security industry.
The FBI want Apple to assist it in removing a security barrier on the iPhone of Syed Farook, one of the people responsible for killing 14 people in San Bernardino last year.
The fact that Farook’s iPhone may hold vital evidence led to the legal cases between Apple and the FBI in America, the FBI believe that Farook’s IPhone may hold vital clues to the case but are unable to access it without Apples assistance, Apple and the majority of the technology industry who are watching developments anxiously feel that by unlocking Farook’s iPhone they may just open a Pandora’s box.
Sohail of Tamite Apple Mac support Sussex concludes that It is easy to see how the situation could easily repeat in the UK, the British Government’s Draft Communications Data Bill (AKA the snoopers charter) shows the anxiety of UK Intelligence Agencies when faced with the new digital reality.
To access the iPhone, the FBI have asked Apple to effectively hack their own device, as since iOS 8, Apple has included device-specific encryption methods but claims the FBI would get around this by rolling back to a previous operating system.
Apple – and other Silicon Valley firms – believe that setting such a precedent would harm American citizens and by extension the rest of us, and is fighting the case in a California court and Congress.
Meanwhile, the judge overseeing the court battle between the two organisations has heard that criminals have been switching to the newer iPhone models as their “device of choice” to commit offences thanks to the tough encryption present in each handset.
Of course the cynical amongst us might point out that Apple are in something of a win win situation here. Win or lose Apple have demonstrated that their devices are taking data security seriously and that they are willing to stand up to governments to protect the integrity of their products.
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