Father begs Apple CEO to help unlock his dead 13-year-old son’s iPhone

"I think Apple should offer solutions for exceptional cases like mine."

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[foreignreign]

"I understand privacy, but I wonder what if inside a disabled iPhone was the password to block the explosion of an atomic bomb planted by terrorists in Rome, then what do we do? Do we let it explode?"

What is this, CSI: Rome?

 

[lindonthomas]

I'm sorry, I truly am, but the maxim is correct. Hard cases make bad law. The slippery slope argument is surely over used but we can steadily slide from exceptional circumstances to common.

 

[dEwMe]

Shouldn't we be allowed to take some secrets to the grave?

 

[Abhi Beckert]

Sorry mate, but unless you backup important data you will lose some of it.

There are plenty of free services to backup photos.

 

[Onyx Spartan II]

"I understand privacy, but I wonder what if inside a disabled iPhone was the password to block the explosion of an atomic bomb planted by terrorists in Rome, then what do we do? Do we let it explode?"

Not relevant to any discussion.

Sorry for your loss, but the brutal truth is you aren't special. Is directly compromising the security of millions of iPhone users worth a few photos?

 

[gerbintosh]

This is a sad case however I don't think Apple would/should help due to the precedent it would set.
Parent's should learn from this situation and at least know their children's unlock code.

 

[Letsgetacid]

Compromising the security of every iPhone to see your son's phone contents is not in the best interests of anyone.

 

[Z1ggy]

foreignreign[/url]":65qg6q9m]

"I understand privacy, but I wonder what if inside a disabled iPhone was the password to block the explosion of an atomic bomb planted by terrorists in Rome, then what do we do? Do we let it explode?"

What is this, CSI: Rome?

why would there be a password to block an explosion? I thought it was call in go boom. not call in go boom unless someone else calls in.

I mean i get what he is saying. Who bought the phone? Was it dad? then he should have set it up to allow him access even if the phone was off.

The kid gave him access via finger print but didnt give him his icloud password?

 

[lewax00]

Although I share your philosophy in general, I think Apple should offer solutions for exceptional cases like mine.

A backdoor for one "exceptional case" is a backdoor in general. You can't have it both ways.

 

[Z1ggy]

Letsgetacid[/url]":2mtk4606]Compromising the security of every iPhone to see your son's phone contents is not in the best interests of anyone.

its in the best interest of the FBI who set this up.
/tinfoil hat

 

[bombcar]

So the government gives up on its attempt, and then immediately a sob-story appears?

How ... coincidental.

 

[Skullsnstuff]

I know that in a time of family tragedy and illness, passwords are probably the last thing on a father's mind, but maybe his story will inspire others to give someone they trust a copy of their passwords for cases like this, or have it locked away with personal documents. It would also really help estate executors with settling legal affairs after an adult passes away.
But some pictures his son took and did not feel a need to share at the time are not worth having a company break the protection of all the rest of their customers' data.

 

[Brevitic]

Back off all of you, I call dibs on the family level MDM business!

 

[Muon]

dEwMe[/url]":1mk5tchy]Shouldn't we be allowed to take some secrets to the grave?

Quite the business opportunity as things get more digital: Arranging for personal data storage to be destroyed after a person's death.

 

[puppies]

foreignreign[/url]":3b4sjkqk]

"I understand privacy, but I wonder what if inside a disabled iPhone was the password to block the explosion of an atomic bomb planted by terrorists in Rome, then what do we do? Do we let it explode?"

What is this, CSI: Rome?

I see it as more of a Kiefer Sutherland/24 type scenario.

 

[Z1ggy]

DrPizza[/url]":njagizs6]Another case with zero privacy or security implications. No good reason for Apple not to help, except simply that they don't want to.

well except that they engineered the phone so they cant.

either they can and the FBI should have been able to get them to do it. or they cant.


EDIT: guess we will find out if a staff members post will be hidden.

 

[lewax00]

Another case with zero privacy or security implications. No good reason for Apple not to help, except simply that they don't want to.

How exactly do they break into this iPhone without creating a method to crack into any iPhone?

 

[madjoe]

Best thing he can do is just wait until a hack is available. It might take a few years. Software "rots" over time unless it is updated. Chances are an exploit will be discovered eventually.

 

[noanoxan]

"I understand privacy, but I wonder what if inside a disabled iPhone was the password to block the explosion of an atomic bomb planted by terrorists in Rome, then what do we do? Do we let it explode?"

Yes.

 

[theJonTech]

The needs of the many outweigh...

 

[Adept]

DrPizza[/url]":10cws5hw]Another case with zero privacy or security implications. No good reason for Apple not to help, except simply that they don't want to.

This level of ignorance is sad in lay people. It's inexcusable for the Tech Editor at Ars.

 

[THavoc]

Maybe he'd have better luck contacting the FBI?

 

[snoopy.369]

Given the iPhone copies its pictures to iCloud upon taking them, when on WiFi, sounds like he should be able to get the pictures from the iCloud account - which Apple could well give him access to without any sort of crazy backdoor.

 

[Chemical Tribe]

""I understand privacy, but I wonder what if inside a disabled iPhone was the password to block the explosion of an atomic bomb planted by terrorists in Rome, then what do we do? Do we let it explode?"

No, you let the bomb squad do their job to disarm it, duh.

 

[Brevitic]

DrPizza[/url]":25hyzk43]Another case with zero privacy or security implications. No good reason for Apple not to help, except simply that they don't want to.

/s forgotten?

 

[Z1ggy]

snoopy.369[/url]":mq1lhtid]Given the iPhone copies its pictures to iCloud upon taking them, when on WiFi, sounds like he should be able to get the pictures from the iCloud account - which Apple could well give him access to without any sort of crazy backdoor.

will itunes/icloud lock you out and destroy everything if you brute force the password?

 

[Chemical Tribe]

Adept[/url]":e4ur19ee]

DrPizza[/url]":e4ur19ee]Another case with zero privacy or security implications. No good reason for Apple not to help, except simply that they don't want to.

This level of ignorance is sad in lay people. It's inexcusable for the Tech Editor at Ars.

Don't forget, he's on Oracle's side of having api's copyrighted.

 

[Alyeska]

Heart breaking case. But what the father is asking for has far reaching consequences that affect all of us.

I'm surprised the father hasn't asked for access to the iCloud account. That could very well have what he desired.

 

[Buran]

dEwMe[/url]":dta9fjqh]Shouldn't we be allowed to take some secrets to the grave?

Exactly. There are some things that I don't want even my close friends and family to see or know. I have every right to have my own private space, and if I want someone to be able to access any of my accounts after my death (as of right now, I do not) I would provide a means toward that end.

I am sorry for your loss, sir, but you're out of luck. You should have considered this earlier -- I know how hard it is to think about anyone dying before their "time", but the sad truth is that we all should think about such things.

And there's a saying: the lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.

 

[Chemical Tribe]

snoopy.369[/url]":gs0uvu44]Given the iPhone copies its pictures to iCloud upon taking them, when on WiFi, sounds like he should be able to get the pictures from the iCloud account - which Apple could well give him access to without any sort of crazy backdoor.

Exactly. They'll require a court order but that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Head Pirate]

Everyone's case it always an exceptional, important case

The only difference with your case is it's the one YOU think is exceptional.

 

[THavoc]

sprockkets[/url]":ga1o858d]

snoopy.369[/url]":ga1o858d]Given the iPhone copies its pictures to iCloud upon taking them, when on WiFi, sounds like he should be able to get the pictures from the iCloud account - which Apple could well give him access to without any sort of crazy backdoor.

Exactly. They'll require a court order but that shouldn't be a problem.

Might be different in Italy than here in the US.

 

[Chemical Tribe]

Z1ggy[/url]":2bfd1ep4]

sprockkets[/url]":2bfd1ep4]""I understand privacy, but I wonder what if inside a disabled iPhone was the password to block the explosion of an atomic bomb planted by terrorists in Rome, then what do we do? Do we let it explode?"

No, you let the bomb squad do their job to disarm it, duh.

so we let it explode?

because isnt that what bomb squads do to disarm a bomb nowadays?

It's a stupid example, so let's not read too much into it ok

edit: It's the same stupid example for justifying torture. Even the colbert report had a skit on that doing formidable opponent.

 

[deanrozz]

Sorry, but if they knew about his diagnosis why didn't they take care of this before? If I knew I was dying I would make sure my family had all the necessary information to settle my affairs or get access to my devices.

In fact, my wife and I keep a record of our accounts/details for everything (phone, computers, Facebook/e-mails, online banking/financials - you name it) in case of an emergency. Not doing so when you know what's coming is just negligent.

 

[ApplePaladin]

It seems like a more fruitful approach in this case might be getting the password to the son's email account and using that to reset the password for the iCloud account, then logging in there to get the photos. It might even be as simple as hopping on the son's laptop if he has one, assuming that the son saved all his logins.

 

[Buran]

Saikaici[/url]":36ckqet2]

dEwMe[/url]":36ckqet2]Shouldn't we be allowed to take some secrets to the grave?

Did you read the article? He had access, but the passcode is required after a reboot and the phone went dead.

The plight is understandable and for this particular case it may actually be not a bad case scenario to consider.

Oh, I read it. And I also noticed that two years passed between diagnosis and death. They had that amount of time to test what would happen if the phone were turned completely off and the father wanted to access it. Surely it ran out of battery at least once during that period, but even if it didn't, for something that vital, why didn't he and his son make absolutely sure that he could get in under any circumstance?

Once again, I feel bad for this man, but it is literally not our problem; it's his. He is likely never going to get those pictures -- and I have to say that for the good of all of us, I'd rather it stay that way.