Bad news for FileVault users...

[American Psycho]

FileVault 2 easily decrypted, warns Passware

FileVault will probably stop a burglar from getting anything from your Mac, but if the authorities get hold of it looks like it offers no protection.

[Modee]

I'm certain Apple will overcome this, and I am not convinced that Passware is even reliably telling the truth about its abilities.

[American Psycho]

True Apple will probably find a fix for this. Although not well known, the iPhone is probably the most secure phone on the market after the BlackBerry. But it only works if you set a password!

[American Psycho]

Just as an update, it appears the text of that article is a bit inaccurate. It seems in order to be able to get the encryption key the Mac needs to be on and decrypted for them to extract it. But that's the same for anything. If you use full disk encryption always turn the machine off when you're done, a simple log off will not suffice.

[Modee]

Thanks for the update. I was dubious on Passware's claim from the start, and remain dubious now.

No law enforcement agency will turn a computer on and then try to access it - this leads to a tampering with evidence claim. Rather, they will clone the disk drive of the computer and then access that clone (or in the case of a File Vault encrypted disk drive, FAIL to access it).

[American Psycho]

Yes but it seems in this case they are referring to situations where they find the suspect computer switched on, or perhaps arrest the suspect while they are at their computer as was the case with the Silk Road guy. It looks like a lot of what Passware says is often half the story from looking at many of their other products.

Out of curiosity if that's the procedure with computers, what's the procedure with cell phones? I cannot imagine how you would get evidence off it without turning it on. I know on older phones they would pull the chip but that doesn't work on new phones.

[Modee]

Cell phones they just turn on, although I suppose if it comes to data on the phone hard drive there would be evidentiary issues if they try to just access it in that way. This topic is a complicated area and beyond the scope of discussion on this forum publicly.

[Modee]

The first point being, that Apple's security measures are so strong that the FBI cannot get past them:
Apple opposes order to help FBI unlock phone belonging to San Bernardino shooter

“The government has been unable to complete the search because it cannot access the iPhone's encrypted content,” U.S. Atty. Eileen Decker wrote in a 40-page motion to the judge. “Apple has the exclusive technical means which would assist the government in completing its search, but has declined to provide that assistance voluntarily.”

the second point remains to be seen whether even Apple itself may bypass its own security measures.

[Modee]

I figured Apple would not cooperate.
Page not found – San Diego Union-Tribune
and I agree with Apple's reasoning. It is a slippery slope down which Apple should not, slip.

[American Psycho]

I've been watching this with interest. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, although I'm sure if the government does force them to cooperate on this occasion it will not be made public. There is a lot of pressure on them in this case and while they haven't given in to the pressure in the past if anything has the potential it's this.

Do you know which iPhone model they are talking about?

[American Psycho]

Tech companies seem to be split in their support of Apple, who have so far remained strong. I think I heard a rumor that they're working on an update to their iOS that would make it impossible to achieve what the FBI is asking. I certainly hope so, we the people need to hold on to some protections when we are so out matched by the government.