FBI says it didn't buy the rights, can't disclose method that unlocked terrorist's iPhone

A person uses an iPhone.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The FBI is not sharing with Apple how it hacked into the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook because they don't have the rights to the information.

The FBI's executive assistant director for science and technology, Amy S. Hess, told reporters Wednesday that the bureau purchased a method from a third party that let them get into the phone, but they did not acquire "the rights to technical details about how the method functions."

In February, a federal judge ruled that Apple had to help the FBI gain access to Farook's locked phone. While Apple was fighting the court order, a third party was successful in unlocking the phone, and the case was dropped.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.