In the wake of the San Bernadino terror attacks, a US
court has ordered that Apple build a backdoor into the
iPhone.
The FBI recovered an iPhone belonging to one of the suspects.
Problem is, they don't know the passcode and can't get past
iOS security.
So the FBI wants Apple to build another version of iOS with
hackable security, to enable the FBI to break in to the device.
Apple is not keen. It says that building a backdoor into iOS
devices represents an unjustifiable breach of personal security and
privacy.
It kind of begs the question, how does a single US judge end up
with the power to, potentially, break the internet.
The FBI is relying on a 1789 law that effectively allows courts
to make any orders necessary or appropriate in the exercise of
their jurisdiction. It provides a neat means for law enforcement
agencies to seek extraordinary power without the endorsement of the
legislature. The only real restraint is that the order is not
unreasonably
