The Use of Passcode in the Smartphones of Apple
Many people regularly use smartphones and within them store private photos, documents, and conversations. But there's one smartphone in particular that might affect the security of your important data.
If you haven't paid much attention to the news, then you should know about a recent trial going on between Apple and the government. Recently, Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the suspects of the San Bernardino shooting who was later shot and killed, had their iPhone obtained. However, the government cannot obtain access to the data in the iPhone due to encryption- a security feature of the iPhone.
According to Upfront Magazine, the government claims that the data on the iPhone will prevent future attacks if they know who Farook communicated with and the locations that he traveled to. Since the government cannot obtain the data on the iPhone, they are forcing Apple to create a way that they can bypass a security feature- a backdoor.
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Currently, there is a court case going on between the two and as reported by The New York Times, the FBI is using force against Apple citing a law from 1789, called "All Writs Act", where it is summarized that "The All Writs Act broadly says that courts can require actions to comply with their orders when not covered by existing law."
Since the government wants Apple to create a backdoor, this could be worrisome to other smartphone users. In an article written by Trevor Timm of The Guardian, Timm highlights important dangers to backdoors of encryption. With backdoors in encryption, this leaves an area where someone like a hacker, is bound to get in.
If someone with authority has unrestricted access, there would always be one way someone without authority could also obtain the unrestricted access. In an interview with The Guardian, Edward Snowden had leaked numerous documents about government snooping. With the government snooping, they could easily attain most information through their partnering of ISPs and cell companies- where most data on the phone is transported. Rather than having Apple create the backdoor, the government could get the data how they have gotten it before.
As reported by ABC News, the government had reset Farook's iCloud password, which prevents the iPhone from making daily backups of the device, where most information would be readily available- something that Apple had actually assisted the government with, providing all data that was on Apple's servers. What the government wants to do is have unauthorized searches. The United States is based off of freedom and independence. Although it is incorrect to protect terrorists, there are other forms of investigation rather than the access of iPhones.
As reported by Jim Kerstetter of New York Times, Apple argues that because software code is usually recognized as freedom of speech, that the government would be essentially "compelling Apple to write code."
If you argue that the government is trying to protect us, is the combatting of such a small group of people really worth the deprivation of privacy to millions of others? Since the information on your phone is yours, it should remain for your eyes only. There is a passcode for a reason.
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The Use of Passcode in the Smartphones of Apple. (2023, Apr 19). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-use-of-passcode-in-the-smartphones-of-apple/
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