Hmm, that seems untrue. Is this the first case where an agency had to get some assistance from a third party to execute a warrant? Like, getting access to a storage unit, or getting access to documents? In the case of a locked door, don't you think it would be reasonable to require a landlord or such to unlock the door if they could? Especially if the walls were literally impenetrable.
I don't know. It seems like that is the way the law works now. If it's not what we want, maybe that should be the discussion. But this doesn't seem fundamentally different than any other normal search order. Superficially different, sure. Instead of simply unlocking a door, it's more like Apple has the blueprints for how to make a key and they're being asked to do so. Apple is implying (but strangely, not explicitly saying) that they can't do that without harming security for other people. I don't believe it, or they should come out and say that.
And lastly, I think it's splitting hairs to complain that they're being asked to write special software rather than just hand over documents or unlock a door. To a lay person that may seem like an over burden, but for SMEs it should be pretty easy. If it isn't easy, again, that should be what Apple says, but they haven't. Because it's embarrassing for them.
The position Apple should be in, is to say "we cannot comply with this request". That would be great. But they can, pretty easily I would guess, so they're beating around the bush instead.
I don't know. It seems like that is the way the law works now. If it's not what we want, maybe that should be the discussion. But this doesn't seem fundamentally different than any other normal search order. Superficially different, sure. Instead of simply unlocking a door, it's more like Apple has the blueprints for how to make a key and they're being asked to do so. Apple is implying (but strangely, not explicitly saying) that they can't do that without harming security for other people. I don't believe it, or they should come out and say that.
And lastly, I think it's splitting hairs to complain that they're being asked to write special software rather than just hand over documents or unlock a door. To a lay person that may seem like an over burden, but for SMEs it should be pretty easy. If it isn't easy, again, that should be what Apple says, but they haven't. Because it's embarrassing for them.
The position Apple should be in, is to say "we cannot comply with this request". That would be great. But they can, pretty easily I would guess, so they're beating around the bush instead.