Apple Answers Questions about Apple and security | Hacker News Reader

Apple Answers Questions about Apple and security

apple.com

7 pointsnxzero9 comments

> From the Q&A: it is certainly possible to create an entirely new operating system to undermine our security features as the government wants.

I hope one day they can say "no, it's impossible", confidently and legally.

Something I do not understand in this debate is the notion that creating the OS will somehow create an extra security vector - if they have the ability to create it (ie, since they have the private signing key) then isn't that already the same thing? It is not like Apple has a monopoly on good developers, presumably if someone is able to obtain their signing key it would lead to the same thing as obtaining the OS they are worried about getting out.

I imagine that they are referring to all of the 3-letter agency's propensity to install back-doors willy-nilly and spy on everyone a la 1984 - Warrants be damned.

Agree, I've wonder this too, though I'm guessing Apple is very aware of this and actively takes steps to make this near impossible. That said, I have never seen any public statement on the topic from Apple why this is the case; I asked them before and got no answer.

SO the quest remains - if they can create their current OS without it getting out into the 'wild', why are they so sure the 'new' OS would? "National Security" will always win the argument - no matter what they say and hope, even if the jack-boots have to break the doors in. I'm torn on the issue, but again, it goes back to why are they sure the new OS will 'get out'?

Time. They don't actually ensure that the current OS is not in the wild, they just make sure it kept secret until they release it. They would need to protect the OS and people who made it (or can make it) forever. The reality is, simply by delivering the modified os, it leaves their security to be handled by the honestly less competent FBI or law enforcement.

You are right about the government always finding a way to win, but this whole case sounds like the FBI messed up on handling the phone as evidence and is spinning the newsroom hard with the new drama with apple.

The reality is, despite apple's protests to the contrary, building the modified OS and giving it to the FBI would hurt their business a lot in both PR and savvy customers leaving.

you're assuming that apple will give it to them. Theoretically, the FBI could deliver the phone Friday, pick it up on Monday, along with the data... nothing (OS-WISE) changes hands, it doesn't 'get out', and could be destroyed or kept for only the most 'national security' required cases... (we all know then that EVERYTHING will be NS).

> nothing (OS-WISE) changes hands, it doesn't 'get out'

It would have to 'get out' if it's installed on the phone. You are assuming the FBI (or other interested TLA agencies) lack the ability to extract the the compromised OS from the phone and/or retarget it to other devices. An even more nefarious scheme would be to modify the current code on the iPhone so that it logs Apples signing as they apply the update, but that edging into tinfoil territory

Then the FBI claims the process is too slow, they have too many requests, and have a judge order Apple to provide the OS digitally. Even if they promise they won't go to a judge for that in the future, they could change their mind. As Cook said, once created, it exists and there is no protection against it getting out in the wild.

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