AmanholdsuphisiPhoneduringarallyinsupportofdataprivacyoutsideanApplestoreinSanFrancisco,Calif.,Feb.23,2016.ProtestersstronglycriticizedacourtordertellingAppletohelpunlockanencryptediPhone.(APPhoto/EricRisberg)
TheUnitedStatesJusticeDepartmentsaysithasfoundawaytogetinformationfromaniPhoneusedbyashooterinlastyear’smassshootinginSanBernardino,California.
TheJusticeDepartmentalsosaiditnolongerneedshelpfromtheiPhone’smanufacturer,Apple.
Thecompanyhadrefusedearlierdemandsbyfederalinvestigatorsforhelpinrecoveringdatafromthedevice.
ThegovernmentsoughttorequireAppletowritenewsoftwareprogramstohelpinvestigatorsgetthedatawithoutknowingtheiPhone’spassword.ThegovernmentbelievedtheinformationwouldhelpitinitsinvestigationoftheSanBernardinoshooting,inwhich14peoplewerekilled.
Lastmonth,ajudgeorderedAppletohelpthegovernment.ButtheJusticeDepartmentannouncedthisweekithasbeenabletocollectdatafromthephone.Itaskedthejudgetocancelherorder.ShedidsoonMonday.
Lastweek,thegovernmentdelayedanothercourthearinginthecase.OfficialssaidtheyneededtimetotestamethodthatcouldhelpthemgainaccesstotheiPhonewithoutApple’sassistance.ThatmethodwasdevelopedwithoutthehelpoffederalagentsorApple.
LawyersforApplehavesaidthatthecompanywantstoknowhowthedevicewasunlocked.
ButthewithdrawalofthecourtprocesscouldtakeawayApple’sabilitytolegallyrequestdetailsonthemethodthegovernmentused.ItalsoislikelytoraisequestionsamongusersofAppleproductsandthetechnologyindustryaboutthestrengthofApple’ssecurityonitsdevices.
data–n.informationsuchastexts,audiorecordings,videorecordingsandpictures
password–n.asecretseriesofnumbersorlettersthatallowsyoutouseacomputersystemordevice
gainaccess–expressiontoenteraplaceorthestorageareaofanelectronicdevice
unlock–v.tomake(something)availableforuse
