Apple vs. the FBI — who won?

From the Associated Press Washington desk:

The FBI said Monday it successfully used a mysterious technique without Apple Inc.’s help to hack into the iPhone used by a gunman in a mass shooting in California, effectively ending a pitched court battle between the Obama administration and one of the world’s leading technology companies.

The government asked a federal judge to vacate a disputed order forcing Apple to help the FBI break into the iPhone, saying it was no longer necessary. The court filing in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California provided no details about how the FBI did it or who showed it how.

Justice Department cracks iPhone; withdraws legal action »

But is this really a mystery? I wrote about this some three weeks ago. That was when the ACLU demonstrated that breaking locked iPhones is almost common knowledge in the tech community:

One of the FBI’s Major Claims in the iPhone Case Is Fraudulent »

Never the less many questions remain unanswered. And the FBI is not about to open up. Ars Technica:

Apple likely can’t force FBI to disclose how it got data from seized iPhone »

Here, it is important to understand what this really has been all about:

[The FBI] is not as interested in solving the problem as they are in getting a legal precedent, [Richard] Clarke said. “Every expert I know believes the NSA could crack this phone. They want the precedent that government could compel a device manufacturer to let the government in.”

The Register: Former US anti-terror chief tears into FBI over iPhone unlocking case — They’d just send it to the NSA if they really wanted access, says Clarke »

Now, what about Apple? Have all of this bruised the iPhones reputation when it comes to security?

Well, it shouldn’t. As mentioned, there already are known ways to break into a locked iPhone.

But facts is not the same as the public perception. The general notion is that this is something entirely new.

And, as a matter of fact, the authorities can open up a locked iPhone. Apple do have a very real public relations problem on its’ hands.

Inevitably, Apple will have to beef up the iPhones security shortly. That may, in turn, lead to new conflicts with the FBI & Co.

/ HAX