Apple unlocking case no longer 'trailblazer' for precedent

The case related to a court order annoying Apple assist the FBI free up the iPhone linked to one of the San Bernardino shooters is "unlikely to be a trailblazer" for putting a precedent for other instances, FBI Director James Comey informed a congressional panel Thursday.

The complicated and evolving nature of mobile telephone software will limit how broadly the case may be carried out, Comey stated at some stage in a U.S. residence of Representatives Intelligence Committee hearing analyzing global threats.

whilst the case "can be instructive for different courts," large policy questions on affordable law enforcement get admission to to encrypted statistics will probable want to be resolved with the aid of Congress and others, Comey said.

The Federal Bureau of investigation is seeking Apple's assist in getting access to a county-owned iPhone 5C used by Syed Rizwan Farook, who alongside with his wife went on a taking pictures rampage in December that killed 14 and wounded 22. last week, it obtained a courtroom order from a California magistrate asking Apple to comply.

Apple has said the request quantities to asking a organization to hack its personal tool and would set a troubling precedent for a way businesses must observe regulation enforcement.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the pinnacle Democrat at the congressional panel, also warned that "I do not see a limiting principle" in the Apple case.

"at the same time as the end result may additionally handiest have an effect on this smartphone, the precedent can be there for lots others," Schiff, who represents California, said.

Apple CEO Tim prepare dinner told ABC information on Wednesday the organisation is willing to take the case to the U.S. excellent court docket if necessary.

U.S. intelligence officials have lengthy warned that the improved incidence of strong encryption poses a "Going dark" problem wherein they may be unable to screen the communications of crook suspects and thwart capacity plots.

however technologists and privateness advocates warn that undermining encryption would disclose facts to hackers and jeopardize the integrity of the internet.

The U.S. Justice department contends it's miles asking handiest for Apple to disable "non-encrypted boundaries" at the San Bernardino cellphone, together with a feature that deletes data after ten consecutive incorrect passcode guesses.

at the same time as each Apple and the FBI have said they would really like Congress to help solve the dispute over encryption, legislative proposals have did not advantage momentum.

The encryption debate "is the hardest question I’ve visible in government," Comey said.