With Apple calling on the government to withdraw its demand that the company create a tool to unlock the iPhone in the San Bernardino case, it seems the FBI does have a plan B – albeit a long-winded and highly uncertain one. Edward Snowden says that FBI claims that it cannot access the phone without Apple’s help are not quite true.

“The problem is, the FBI has other means… They told the courts they didn’t, but they do,” Snowden said during a virtual talk hosted by Johns Hopkins University. “The FBI does not want to do this.”

The technique Snowden described is known as chip de-capping, and involves physically attacking the chip in order to probe its contents. Four cyber security researchers contacted by ABC News confirmed that the technique is real, but far from certain to succeed …

IOActive Senior Security Consultant Andrew Zonenberg described how it works.

In the simplest terms, Zonenberg said the idea is to take the chip from the iPhone, use a strong acid to remove the chip’s encapsulation, and then physically, very carefully drill down into the chip itself using a focused ion beam. Assuming that the hacker has already poured months and tens of thousands of dollars into research and development to know ahead of time exactly where to look on the chip for the target data — in this case the iPhone’s unique ID (UID) — the hacker would, micron by micron, attempt to expose the portion of the chip containing exactly that data.

The hacker would then place infinitesimally small “probes” at the target spot on the chip and read out, literally bit by bit, the UID data. The same process would then be used to extract data for the algorithm that the phone normally uses to “tangle” the UID and the user’s passkey to create the key that actually unlocks the phone.

Once the FBI has both the UID and entanglement algorithm, it would be able to brute-force the password on a computer rather than on the iPhone itself.

As you’d guess from the description, the technique is extremely delicate and risky – and perhaps not ideally attempted by an agency whose explanations for an iCloud password change didn’t quite add up.

If at any point there’s even a slight accident in the de-capping or attack process, the chip could be destroyed and all access to the phone’s memory lost forever […] It’s definitely a non-trivial attack.

Zonenberg agrees with Snowden that the technique will be known to some U.S. government intelligence agencies, even if not specifically known by the FBI.

Quote of the piece is an unnamed military intelligence official describing de-capping as some “super risky cyber-level s***.”

Filed under: iOS Devices

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Obtained via Buzzfeed, Apple CEO Tim Cook has sent a memo this morning to employees reaffirming its position against the government in the Apple/FBI iPhone backdoor case. He thanks Apple employees and feedback from customers for their public support and says that whilst Apple has no sympathy for terrorists, the data security of hundreds of millions of law-abiding citizens is threatened by the government order. Apple wants the government to withdraw its demands justified by the All Writs Act and encourages an open discussion between law enforcement, technology and privacy experts  on privacy issues.

In the memo, Cook openly notes that it does not feel right to be fighting against the government when debating liberties and freedoms.

Apple is a uniquely American company. It does not feel right to be on the opposite side of the government in a case centering on the freedoms and liberties that government is meant to protect.

Apple has posted an expanded question and answers page as a followup to Tim Cook’s original public open letter on its website, to help customers be informed about the issues being discussed. Cook says some members of Congress want Apple to backtrack on its encryption policies in iOS, particularly the changes made in iOS 8 which prevent iPhone data from being decrypted at all without the correct passcode.

Cook clearly says that going back on this is not an option for them: ‘We all know that turning back the clock on that progress would be a terrible idea’. Many expect Apple to double down on further lockdown security features in the next versions of iOS and future iPhone hardware. The memo also reinforces Apple’s view that the problem is not so much the actions of this particular case, but the ‘dangerous precedent’ creating a backdoor will mean for future legal cases.

Apple is required to post a formal response in court by the end of the week. It is expected to refute the government order. The victims of the San Bernardino shooting have mixed feelings on whether they think Apple should be compelled to comply to the court order and create a backdoor into the suspect’s iPhone.

Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: Apple, FBI, iOS, Security, Tim Cook

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Victims and families of victims in the San Bernardino shootings have expressed divided views on the Apple vs FBI battle over access to an iPhone used by one of the terrorists.

We noted earlier that the mother of one of those killed in the attack has expressed support for Apple’s position, stating that the constitutional right to privacy “is what makes America great.”

This is what separates us from communism, isn’t it? The fact we have the right to privacy. I think Apple is definitely within their rights to protect the privacy of all Americans.

However, Reuters reports that some victims of the attack plan to file a legal brief in support of the FBI …

Stephen Larson, a former federal judge who is now in private practice, told Reuters that the victims he represents have an interest in the information which goes beyond the Justice Department’s criminal investigation.

“They were targeted by terrorists, and they need to know why, how this could happen,” Larson said.

Larson was reportedly approached by the Justice Department and local prosecutors, rather than by the families directly. He has said that he will be doing the work pro-bono.

FBI Director James Comey has claimed that the bureau is not attempting to use the case to set a precedent. In an emotive post on law blog Lawfare, Comey said that they wouldn’t be able to look survivors in the eye if they didn’t follow the lead.

The San Bernardino litigation isn’t about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice. Fourteen people were slaughtered and many more had their lives and bodies ruined. We owe them a thorough and professional investigation under law. That’s what this is. The American people should expect nothing less from the FBI.

The claim seems hard to reconcile with Comey’s longstanding opposition to Apple’s use of encryption in iPhones. He said over a year ago that Apple is putting people beyond the law.

The notion that we would market devices that would allow someone to place themselves beyond the law, troubles me a lot. As a country, I don’t know why we would want to put people beyond the law.

It is also hard to see how a court ruling could be made without setting a legal precedent, given that that’s how the law works. Tim Cook last week expressed skepticism about the idea of this being a one-off, and has today called on the government to withdraw its demands.

The government suggests this tool could only be used once, on one phone. But that’s simply not true. Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices.

Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Inc, Encryption, FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Bernardino, United States Department of Justice

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Last Wednesday, Apple made it possible for developers to create and add app preview videos to their Apple TV apps. Apple is making a concerted effort to improve the App Store experience for its customers and developers, and this is just the latest step in that direction.

App preview videos have been available on iOS devices since iOS 8, but tvOS titles have been restricted to static preview images up until now. App preview videos allow customers to see an app in action, making it easier to discern how a particular app or game works prior to making a purchase or download.

Unlike iOS, app preview videos on the Apple TV feature a dedicated “Preview” button for initiating video playback. The Preview button, when available, is located to the left of the purchase/download button. As you might expect, users can play, pause, fast-forward and rewind preview videos. Users can also initiate 10-second skips by clicking on the left or right side of the Siri Remote’s Touch surface.

Since Apple just rolled out app preview videos for tvOS last week, there aren’t many apps that currently take advantage of the new feature. One of the first few titles to include a preview video is the critically acclaimed Alto’s Adventure. Watch our video walkthrough of the app preview video experience below:

Developers can create previews of their Apple TV apps using QuickTime’s built in capture functionality. This allows developers to create crisp-looking 1080p videos of their apps in action. Like iOS, app preview videos on tvOS should be between 15-30 seconds in length.

As pointed out in our initial briefing, Apple continues to make strides towards improving the App Store experience on tvOS. App preview videos go a long way towards making that experience feel more complete.

Filed under: Apple TV Tagged: Apple TV 4, Apple TV games, videos

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The FBI has released a press statement explaining its motivation for resetting the iCloud password in the San Bernardino iPhone backdoor/unlock case. It seems like a screw-up, which prevented Apple from extracting data from the phone via iCloud. However, the FBI says that the county did it, in collaboration with FBI, in order to gain access to the suspect’s iCloud account. It says it was able to successfully retrieve iCloud backups up to October 19th. However, the reason it wants Apple to create a backdoor into the locked iPhone is because it believes there is more data on the phone relevant to the case yet to be uncovered.

For unknown reasons, the iPhone did not backup anything to iCloud after 19th October. It is possible Syed Farook disabled the feature or the iPhone simply did not return to a known WiFi network whilst being plugged in. It is not known if a later iCloud backup would have yielded more information …

Here’s a direct quote from the FBI statement, via Re/code, explaining that the government wants Apple to create a backdoor so that it can perform data extraction on the iPhone itself, which it knows from previous investigations will often contain more information than what an iCloud backup includes.

Through previous testing, we know that direct data extraction from an iOS device often provides more data than an iCloud backup contains. Even if the password had not been changed and Apple could have turned on the auto-backup and loaded it to the cloud, there might be information on the phone that would not be accessible without Apple’s assistance as required by the All Writs Act order, since the iCloud backup does not contain everything on an iPhone. As the government’s pleadings state, the government’s objective was, and still is, to extract as much evidence as possible from the phone.

Apple has been given additional time to respond to the FBI order, with the deadline set for next Friday in a week’s time. Apple is expected to formally reject the motion in court, given its hard stance expressed in an open letter by Tim Cook last week.

In the case, the FBI has asked Apple to create a special version of the iPhone operating system which removes certain passcode-related features to enable brute-force attack on the PIN code. The FBI wants Apple to create custom firmware that will allow an unlimited number of PIN attempts without the usual hour-long delays between incorrect passcode entries. The iPhone used by the attacker is an iPhone 5c. so it lacks a fingerprint sensor and other security features enabled by the Secure Enclave of later iPhone models. However, Apple has said the same techniques the FBI wants it to deploy could apply to newer iPhones too.

Apple continues to receive support by other companies and individuals regarding its fierce privacy-focused stance. Billionaire Mark Cuban said Apple deserves a standing ovation for fighting the FBI’s encryption backdoor efforts. Smartphone manufacturer Huawei also piped up, saying privacy is very important but shied away from openly indicating it would stand up to government in a similar situation.

“Tim Cook spoke up for that (privacy) … for us it is really very important,” Yu said. “I think it’s good letting the government understand why we cannot do some things. There are some things we can do, but there are some things we cannot do.” Asked directly if Huawei would take the same approach in similar circumstances, Yu said Huawei would “insist on the important things for consumers”.

It’s also worth considering the voice of the victims of the San Bernardino shootings, where 12 people were killed. Carole Adams, who lost her son in the attack, has openly stated that she stands with Apple’s point of view on constitutional grounds:

“This is what makes America great to begin with, that we abide by a constitution that gives us the right of privacy, the right to bear arms, and the right to vote.”

Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: Apple, FBI, iOS, iPhone unlock

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In this week’s episode of The Logic Pros, we will be continuing our look at some of Logic Pro X’s underused features and key commands with some helpful editing tricks. We are also going start our master Solo Jedi training with some interesting uses for the various Solo modes, locks and more.

The Solo mode found on just about every track inside of LPX is one of the most basic features found in any DAW. While its functionality is fairly obvious, in terms of allowing us to monitor a selected track(s) on its/their own while the rest of our tracks are essentially automatically muted. But there are a few tricks that can be used without complicating things that are likely to speed up edits and make micro-level monitoring a little easier on you. I use these key commands and features every day in Logic, and I’m not sure I could go without them:

Solo within a Solo and back again: This key command will allow us to quickly toggle Solo Mode on/off. You can also quickly highlight a group of regions on your Main Window/Tracks page and then hit Control S to solo them. This can be very helpful when you are trying to solo a group of tracks/regions that don’t reside next to each other on your Tracks page, among other things.

But it can also be used as an almost secondary Soloing option. Often times I will have a group of tracks on the Mixer in Solo by simply selecting the tracks and then engaging the Solo button (or pushing the S key). Then you can select any one of the tracks that are currently in Solo, and quickly monitor it on its own by pressing Control S. Hit Control S again, and your right back to your original group of tracks in Solo. Solo within a Solo, in one click, pretty sweet.

Note: Option S, will enter Solo Lock Mode. This will essentially allow you to Solo a group of regions in your project while allowing you to edit content outside of those tracks without losing your Solo group.

Force Legato, it’s for your own good: There are a countless number of scenarios where we find ourselves manually trimming the tops and tails of MIDI notes, regions and more with the mouse. But there are a few features within Logic that allow us to make these kinds of edits a little quicker whether we are programming synth and strings parts for song arrangements, or editing sound effects/audio clips for film/TV/app work. One of my all-time personal favorite Logic commands is Shift and the \ key. This powerful little command does a few different things depending on which window you are currently using in LPX. Here are two of my favorites:

In the Piano Roll editor I often times find myself tidying up MIDI performances or just creating them from scratch. By selecting a note or group of notes and hitting Shift \, you will Force Legato, or force them to stretch out until they bump into the next group of notes or the end of the region itself. This works great on chord progressions or even just to get the notes all in a uniform position to edit further.

Secondly, on the Main/Tracks Window, the same key command will stretch the selected region(s) until it/they bump(s) right up against the next one on the timeline on the respective track. You can find this option from the Edit menu > Trim > Region End to Next Region, but a quick push of of Shift \, will do the trick just the same.

Keep in mind, for MIDI regions this will essentially create a larger region but will leave the existing MIDI data as is. Whereas, with audio regions, it will actually pull out the right most edge of the region revealing more of the file (which may or may not be desired depending on the edit at hand).

Join together and be friends. I’ll keep this one quick, but it’s another feature I use everyday in LPX and couldn’t go without. J for Join. Selecting any group of MIDI regions and pressing the J key will actually combine the data together into a single region. Doing this with regions on different tracks will bring all the performances onto a single track, which I would suggest only for more advanced users. But for example, doing it on MIDI regions right next to each other on the same track can be a very handy way of keeping things organized or creating visual cues for various elements of your piece. The Scissor tool will allow you to seperate them again at anytime should you choose.

With audio tracks we will actually be creating an entirely new file with the Join function. While there are times this can come in handy like for sticking a couple loops together for FX processing, I generally prefer a traditional mix-down when it comes to multiple audio tracks.

If you have any helpful/quirky editing tricks you use in Logic be sure to let us know in the comments below:

The Logic Pros is a regular series exploring all of the most interesting gadgets and software for making music on your Mac/iOS devices. If there is any gear you would like us to take a closer hands-on look at, let us know in the comments section below or shoot us an email.

More The Logic Pros:

• 3 overlooked tricks to keep your Logic sessions tidy and efficient
• Making MIDI FX in Logic’s complex Environment simple
• Working with Logic’s built-in Space Designer convolution reverb
• Creating precise multi-tap delay/echo patterns with Delay Designer
• Getting the most out of Logic’s built-in MIDI Arpeggiator
• Creating custom-made, tempo flexible Apple Loops

Filed under:
How-To, Tips and Tricks Tagged: Control S, how to, Join, Logic Pro X, Mac music production, MIDI region, Solo, Solo Lock, Solo Mode, the logic pros, tricks

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Apple has now responded to a Department of Justice filing that we reported earlier today was attempting to force the company to comply with an FBI request for access to a locked iPhone belonging to a suspect in the San Bernardino attacks. In one statement to Reuters, an Apple spokesperson said the DOJ is “disregarding civil liberties in iPhone unlocking case,” while in another it attempts to explain more of the back story regarding past events with the iPhone in question. 

CNBC reports an Apple exec called the motion “a way to argue the case twice before Apple can respond,” a response to the fact that the DOJ’s motion filed today comes ahead of Apple’s deadline to respond to a judge regarding its original refusal to unlock the device in the case. CNBC adds that in response to claims in the DOJ filing, Apple said it “has not said that unlocking an iPhone is technically possible.”

Now that the DOJ has exposed a lot of the background story in the case in its earlier filing, Apple is offering its side of the story.

Here’s a longer version of Apple’s statement relayed by unnamed executives to various medial outlets, this time via BuzzFeed:

The Apple ID passcode linked to the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino terrorists was changed less than 24 hours after the government took possession of the device, senior Apple executives said Friday. If that hadn’t happened, Apple said, a backup of the information the government was seeking may have been accessible…

The executives said the company had been in regular discussions with the government since early January, and that it proposed four different ways to recover the information the government is interested in without building a back door. One of those methods would have involved connecting the phone to a known wifi network.

So Apple is arguing that the Apple ID of the iPhone was changed after the government took possession, meaning the FBI could have had access to the data it’s seeking.  Apple adds that otherwise it previously proposed solutions that wouldn’t include building a the “backdoor” the FBI is after.

Apple also reportedly responded to the DOJ’s claims that Apple’s refusal on the requests were a marketing ploy, according to BuzzFeed, “saying they were instead based on their love for the country and desire not to see civil liberties tossed aside.”

And while Apple is calling up media outlets to give its response to the filing, TheHill reports Tim Cook and the head of the FBI were today invited to testify before a House committee.

JUST IN: In response to DOJ filing earlier, sr. Apple exec. says company has not said that unlocking an iPhone is technically possible – DJ

—
CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) February 19, 2016

BREAKING: Department of Justice disregarding civil liberties in iPhone unlocking case: Apple

—
Reuters U.S. News (@ReutersUS) February 19, 2016

Apple: Within 24 hours of govt taking possession of SB shooter's phone, Apple ID pass was changed—backup may have been accessible prior

—
John Paczkowski (@JohnPaczkowski) February 19, 2016

Filed under: iOS Devices

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In an effort to keep up iPhone numbers ahead of a quarter in which Apple expects sales to drop year-over-year for the first time, Apple will encourage Apple Store employees to sell more iPhones through a new rewards program. Apple informed retail staff of the new program today, and it will take place between February 21st and March 26th, according to sources.

The program’s goal is to push Apple retail employees to sell more iPhones by promising rewards and all-expense paid vacations to Cupertino, California to employees who sell the most iPhones in their region, according to sources. While this program is ultimately about selling more iPhones, Apple oddly positions it as a way to “celebrate” the success of the iPhone.

Additionally, while Apple explicitly tells employees that this program is about more than selling more iPhone units, sources say that the metrics for giving out rewards and vacations are: how many iPhones are sold per week, customer satisfaction, how many iPhone accessories are sold, and how often the iPhone Reuse and Recycle upgrade program is utilized in the store.

The best performing stores in their particular market during the February and March period based on the aforementioned metrics will win gear from Apple’s corporate gift shop in Cupertino in addition to a store-wide party, while the best performing individuals from each market will win the Cupertino trips. This move is yet another from Apple to boost iPhone sales, following this month’s announcements of a bigger iPhone trade-in push.

(Image via Getty Images)

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Store, iPhone

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Okay, this may be my favorite “via Twitter for iPhone” gaff yet. It’s Friday afternoon so presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a boycott on all Apple products. His announcement follows this week’s FBI request that Apple help it unlock the San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone, which Tim Cook says would set a dangerous precedent.

Here’s the kicker: As news broke that Trump was calling for a boycott on Apple until it cooperates with the FBI, Donald Trump (or whoever manages his Twitter account) was tweeting a series of unrelated messages … from Twitter for iPhone.

We’ll keep an eye on Apple’s stock and see how this boycott request goes. In the meantime, best comment goes to chrisl84 with “Make encryption average again”.

Filed under: General, iOS Devices Tagged: boycott, Donald Trump, iPhone

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It’s kind of an “open-secret” in the auto and tech industries that Apple is developing an electric vehicle codenamed “Project Titan”, yet for the most part, the Cupertino-based company has been able to keep details under wraps.

In helping keep any development secret, Apple is believed to be using a shell company called Sixty Eight Research based in Sunnyvale, California. Neighbors have recently been reporting heavy security presence and a lot of noise around the location. 

A local news crew reported on the disturbance earlier this week, and since then the security has reportedly relaxed around the facility.

But neighbors told KPIX 5 that the level of security was becoming disturbing:

“At three in the morning, they have deliveries. It’s very dark, very secretive. We don’t know what’s going on, but almost every night there is noise that wakes the dogs up,” Joann Porter said.

Neighbors on Bartlett Avenue near the facility said security guards tail them when they walk their dogs. “You have security guards following you in their cars,” Porter said.

Porter added that she was hearing the sound of metal sheets slamming and clanking all day, but also a sound described as a ‘high-pitched hum”, which sometimes could be heard all day.

The news crew didn’t catch the sound while filming but Jim Porter imitated it on camera, see the video below, and it could fit the description of the sound an electric motor makes when being pushed to its limits.

In 2014, the Sunnyvale City Manager said that Apple was granted a building permit for “an auto testing facility.”

Here’s the news report from KPIX 5:

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Apple has registered three car-related domain names that hint at its electric car project, while last month, the Apple veteran employee who has been overseeing the program reportedly left the company.

Filed under: Apple Car Tagged: Apple, Apple Car, Sixty Eight Research, Sunnyvale

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