As the world’s reliance on technology continues to grow, the need for cybersecurity has become increasingly prevalent.
While numerous cyber attacks have received varying degrees of attention over the past few years, none have come close to Apple’s recent standoff with the FBI.
To recap, the FBI wants Apple to build a backdoor into the iPhone’s encryption that will unlock the device and allow law enforcement officials access to the data on it. The phone belongs to one of the terrorists involved in last December’s San Bernardino, CA shooting that left 14 dead. While the Department of Justice considers Apple’s potential unlocking of the device as an isolated incident, the tech giant is fighting back, claiming that they should not be forced to violate the privacy expectations of consumers who purchase their products.
Make no mistake, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook knows this is a slippery slope. Where should the federal government and tech companies draw the line? It remains to be seen how the whole event will be hammered out, but one thing is certain – Apple’s stand shows they understand the importance of cybersecurity. Any tool they develop to break through their encryption can and eventually will be used for malicious purposes. To them, it’s best that this technology doesn’t exist.
The cybersecurity industry tends to favor Apple’s side as well. Here’s what Microsoft President Brad Smith had to say about the matter at the recent RSA computer security conference:
“There is no such thing as national security without cybersecurity. We cannot keep people safe in the real world if we cannot keep people safe on the internet.”
You can view the entirety of both the conferences’ and Smith’s opinions on the matter in this article by USA Today by Elizabeth Weise.
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