Tim Cook: Apple Won't Create 'Backdoor' to Help FBI Access San Bernardino Shooter's iPhone

apple ceo tim cook has posted open letter apple customers announcing company oppose order u.s. federal judge fbi access data on iphone 5c used san bernardino shooter syed farook. cook says moment 1 public discussion, , company wants customers understand what's @ stake.

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cook starts letter noting smartphones have become essential part of people's lives , many people store private conversations, photos, music, notes, calendars , both financial , health information on devices. ultimately, cook says, encryption helps keep people's data safe, in turn keeps people's personal safety being @ risk.

goes on apple , employees "shocked , outraged" san bernardino attack , apple has complied valid subpoenas , search warrants federal investigators. apple has made engineers available advise fbi in addition providing general advice on how go investigating case. however, cook says that's apple draw line.

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we have great respect professionals @ fbi, , believe intentions good. point, have done both within our power , within law them. u.s. government has asked not have, , consider dangerous create. have asked build backdoor iphone.

specifically, fbi wants make new version of iphone operating system, circumventing several important security features, , install on iphone recovered during investigation. in wrong hands, software -- not exist today -- have potential unlock any iphone in someone's physical possession.

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cook says while government suggesting bypassing feature disables iphone after number of failed password attempts used once , on 1 device, suggestion is "simply not true." says once created, such key used on , on again. "in physical world, equivalent of master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks -- restaurants , banks stores , homes," cook says.

move, cook says, undermine apple's decades of work on security advancements keep customers safe. notes irony in asking apple's security engineers purposefully weaken protections created. apple says found no precedent of an american company being forced expose customers, therefore putting them @ greater risk of attack. notes security experts have warned against weakening encryption both bad guys , guys able take advantage of potential weaknesses.

finally, cook says fbi proposing apple calls "unprecedented use" of the writs act of 1789, authorizes federal courts issue orders necessary or appropriate "in aid of respective jurisdictions , agreeable usages , principles of law." chilling effect of use, cook argues, allow government power capture data device or require apple create data collection program intercept customer's data, potentially including infringements using phone's camera or microphone without user knowledge.

cook concludes apple's open letter saying company's opposition order not action took lightly , challenge request "with deepest respect democracy , love our country." ultimately, apple fears these demands "undermine freedoms , liberty our government meant protect."

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article link: tim cook: apple won't create 'backdoor' fbi access san bernardino shooter's iphone

 

an tim cook ends letter with:
- sent ipad pro

 

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