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Apple receives iPhone unlock requests from law enforcement
The encryption on your iPhone is apparently secure enough that law enforcement agencies are waiting in line to have Apple "crack" the lock and provide data to be used as evidence. According to a report by CNET, Apple has the ability to decrypt seized iPhones and has created a waiting list to handle requests. At one point last summer, the wait was over seven weeks long and one ATF agent reported that it took his request at least four months to be processed. The ATF had tried to decrypt the iPhone 4S of a Kentucky man accused of distributing crack cocaine and became so frustrated that it contacted Apple for assistance. That's where the wait started... For those who are concerned about how secure their personal information is on an iOS device, the fact that the devices can't be cracked by federal agents is good news. No one is sure exactly how Apple can decrypt the information for police, whether there's a backdoor that only Apple knows about, has custom hardware for decryption or just has better-trained cryptologists. The CNET article notes that Elcomsoft sells an iOS Forensic Toolkit, which claims to crack a four-digit iOS 4 or iOS 5 passcode in less than 40 minutes. It's when someone uses a PIN or password with more characters that the decryption time takes a much longer time. The post cites Simson Garfinkel from the US Naval Postgraduate School, who estimates that cracking a 10-digit PIN could take as long as 25 years using common brute-force methods. The bottom line? For normal law-abiding citizens, a longer passphrase or PIN can keep your iOS data protected. For criminals, however, Apple knows how to free your data for law enforcement and will do so. [via TechCrunch]
The Daily Roundup for 01.11.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
AT&T considers "Family Plans" for wireless data
During an interview with CNET, AT&T's mobile business CEO Ralph de la Vega revealed the company would soon introduce a family data plan. This would allow customers to buy a sharable data bucket, letting that purchased bandwidth be used across multiple devices. de la Vega told CNET that he was "very comfortable" with the plan being developed and that he knew how the plan would be structured. He did not offer any details on pricing, timing, or bucket sizes. Verizon is expected to offer a family data plan soon, possibly this summer. [via The Mac Observer]
CNET shows us Samsung's history, talent for building tanks (video)
Sure, you know Samsung for its smartphones, TVs and automatic vacuum cleaners, but did you know it got its start in exporting produce, groceries and dried fish? You might not think it looking at your Galaxy Nexus, but the outfit's had its hands in quite a few industries over the years, including trade exports, sugar refinement, amusement parks and even wargadgets -- big ones. If you're itching to learn more (or just want to see a Samsung Galaxy S II clumsily sculpted from snow) read on, CNET's about to drop some Samsung knowledge into your inquisitive brain.
CNET Networks takeover sought
Media company CNET Networks, whose various websites including Gamespot, GameFAQs and Metacritic, looks to be in the midst of a takeover. A group of investors, led by Jana Partners LLC and claiming a collective 21.3 percent stake in the company, are currently trying to use their leverage to nominate seven new directors, according to Bloomberg. (Note: This incident is unrelated to the recent Gerstmann-gate fiasco.)Said former Ask Jeeves Inc. executive Paul Gardi, who stands to be one of those new directors, "With better board oversight, the right team could do great things with this brand ... We see huge opportunity in the strength of CNET's content." The contention is that the media company's shares have underperformed due to mismanagement of their resources. CNET CEO Neil Ashe said that the company welcomes suggestions from its stockholders but noted Jana's proposed shuffle was "improper" and not possible with the company bylaws. The latter argument prompted Jana to file a lawsuit in Delaware (home of CNET) claiming the bylaws were illegal in the state.
