FBI Debates Sharing Details of Successful iPhone Hack with Apple

Apple-iphoneBy Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The FBI is debating whether to explain to Apple how the bureau unlocked an iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters, Director James Comey said.

During a speech Wednesday at Kenyon College in Ohio, Comey said the decision isn’t easy, CBS News reports. 

“If we tell Apple, they’re going to fix it and we’re back where we started,” Comey said. “As silly as it may sound, we may end up there. We just haven’t decided yet.”

Comey said the technology only works on iPhone 5Cs running iOS9.

The FBI’s struggle to unlock the phone prompted plenty of offers by technology companies to help, Comey said.

“Someone outside the government, in response to that attention, came up with a solution,” Comey said. “One that I am confident will be closely protected and used lawfully and appropriately.”

He added: “The FBI is very good at keeping secrets and the people we bought this from — I know a fair amount about them, and I have a high degree of confidence that they’re very good at protecting it and their motivations align with ours,” Comey said.

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