Apple will be allowed to maintain ownership and destroy the piece of software it has been asked to create in order to help retain information on an encrypted Iphone 5C which is believed to have belonged to Syed Farook- according to a federal judge as on this Friday.
Earlier this Tuesday Apple was asked to provide technical assistance to the FBI in a case where they were required to devise software to access the phone of Syed Farook, a gunman involved in the San Bernardino shootings in California. Apple’s Tim Cook refused the order and filed a motion against it.
The Government requires Apple to bypass the wipe feature which will erase all data from the iPhone after 10 consecutive failed attempts to unlock it. According to Apple, they do not have a system in place to bypass the self-destruct feature.
Tim Cook stated that once such a method is created it could be used as a master key to open a number of devices posing a great risk to privacy.
In an effort that Apple reconsiders its decision to help with the San Bernardino shootings case, the Department of Justice made it clear on Friday that Apple would have sole discretion over the software that it will prepare; and that they could load the software on the phone at their premises as well as destroy the software after it had served its purpose with the case.
It is yet to be seen if Apple will comply or file another opposition to the last court order.
