David Shortell, Evan Perez / CNN
David Shortell, Evan Perez / CNN
FBI Claims to Have Broken the Encryption on Pensacola Shooter’s iPhones Substantially Weakening the Government’s Push for Encryption Backdoors
Mohammed Alshamrani, a member of the Royal Saudi Air Force in training at Naval Air Station Pensacola who killed three U.S. sailors and wounded others at the base, was in touch with a suspected al Qaeda operative, according to the FBI broke which broke through the encryption protecting the Saudi attacker’s iPhones, sources say. If the Bureau did achieve this encryption breakthrough, the case made by the FBI and Attorney General William Barr for demanding backdoors into encrypted communications services and devices appears to be substantially weakened. Law enforcement said they had initially been unable to retrieve data stored on two iPhones belonging to the shooter, and they cited that hurdle in trying to complete their investigation of the attacker’s ideology and his radicalization.
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Tweets:@dnvolz @adamgoldmanNYT @kevincollier @nakashimae @zackwhittaker @zackwhittaker @zackwhittaker @iblametom @karaswisher @macrumors @zackwhittaker @iblametom @dotmudge @DevlinBarrett @ahmed
MoreNew York Times: F.B.I. Is Said to Find Links Between Pensacola Gunman and Al Qaeda
Wall Street Journal: FBI Discovers al Qaeda Link in Pensacola Attack
Forbes: Feds Hack iPhones In Pensacola Terrorist Shooting Case, But Still Slam Apple For Not Helping
Justice Department: Attorney General William P. Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray Announce Significant Developments in the Investigation of the Naval Air Station Pensacola Shooting
MacRumors: FBI Reportedly Gained Access to iPhone Used by Mass Shooter in Florida After Apple Refused to Help
Associated Press: Pensacola gunman’s cellphones reveal meticulous planning for attack, FBI says
Task & Purpose: The FBI has evidence linking Al Qaeda to the NAS Pensacola shooting
Capital Gazette: Gunman accused of killing 3 sailors at Pensacola military base linked to al-Qaida, US official says
The Sun: Saudi student who shot dead 3 US sailors on Florida Naval Base ‘had been in contact with Al Qaeda’ in days before attack
Business Insider: The FBI found links to Al Qaeda after cracking the phones of the Saudi gunman who attacked a Florida naval base
AOL: Official: FBI finds link between Pensacola gunman, al-Qaida
GANNETT Syndication Service: Official: FBI finds link between NAS Pensacola gunman, al-Qaida
Newsweek: FBI Finds Florida Gunman Who Killed U.S. Sailors Was Linked to Al Qaeda After Breaking iPhone Encryption
Yahoo! News: FBI finds Al Qaeda link to Pensacola naval base shooting suspect: US official
Bloomberg: FBI Gets Into Pensacola Shooter’s iPhone, Finds an Al-Qaeda Tie
RT USA: Saudi pilot who went on gun rampage at Florida naval base linked to ‘Al-Qaeda operative’
The Crime Report: FBI Finds Link Between Pensacola Shooter, Al-Qaeda
Axios: FBI finds links between Pensacola gunman and Al Qaeda
Cult of Mac: FBI cracks alleged al-Qaida shooter’s iPhone without Apple’s help
USATODAY: Feds connect al Qaeda contacts to deadly Pensacola Naval Air Station shooting
AppleInsider: FBI breaks iPhone security to uncover Pensacola shooter & Al Qaeda link
NBCNews: FBI: Pensacola gunman prodded by al Qaeda to attack
Wired: The FBI Backs Down Against Apple—Again
The Register – Security: Attorney General: We didn’t need Apple to crack terrorist’s iPhones – tho we still want iGiant to do it in future
Cyberscoop: U.S. officials say they’ve cracked Pensacola shooter’s iPhones, blast Apple
CNET: FBI slams ‘Apple problem’ as it unlocks Pensacola shooter’s iPhones – CNET
News : NPR: FBI: New iPhone Evidence Shows Pensacola Shooter Had Ties To Al-Qaida
iDownloadBlog.com: The FBI has reportedly bypassed the security on the Pensacola mass shooter’s iPhone
Fortune: FBI: “We received effectively no help from Apple” in accessing Pensacola Shooter’s iPhones
WCCFtech: FBI Hacks Florida Shooter’s iPhones without Apple’s Help & Finds al Qaeda Link
ZDNet Security: FBI criticizes Apple for not helping crack Pensacola shooter’s iPhones
AppleInsider: Apple rejects ‘false claims’ by Justice Department regarding Pensacola investigation
iMore: Apple denies “false claims” by Justice Department over Pensacola attack
Cult of Mac: FBI attacks Apple for ‘no help’ unlocking Florida attacker’s iPhone; Apple rejects ‘false’ claims
Patently Apple: DOJ and FBI described crucial data found on the Pensacola Terrorist’s iPhones today in a news Conference, without Apple’s Assistance
Business Insider: The FBI found links to Al Qaeda after cracking the phones of the Saudi gunman who attacked a Florida naval base
The Sun: Saudi student who shot dead 3 US sailors on Florida Naval Base ‘had been in contact with Al Qaeda’ in days before attack
BuzzFeed News: The Pensacola Naval Base Shooter Had Longtime “Significant Ties” To Al-Qaeda
Newsweek: FBI Finds Florida Gunman Who Killed U.S. Sailors Was Linked to Al Qaeda After Breaking iPhone Encryption
iDownloadBlog.com: The FBI has reportedly bypassed the security on the Pensacola mass shooter’s iPhone
Appleosophy: Apple Fires Back at FBI and Attorney General William Barr Regarding Florida Shooter’s iPhone
MacRumors: FBI Reportedly Gained Access to iPhone Used by Mass Shooter in Florida After Apple Refused to Help
Task & Purpose: The FBI has evidence linking Al Qaeda to the NAS Pensacola shooting
MacRumors: Apple Calls FBI Comments on Lack of Help Unlocking Florida Shooter’s iPhone an ‘Excuse to Weaken Encryption’
SlashGear » security: Apple blasts Barr over iPhone lock “false claims” in Pensacola shooter case
Homeland Security Today: FBI: Pensacola Shooter Tied to AQAP Before Coming to the U.S., Discussed Attack
Zero Hedge: FBI Cracks Into Pensacola Shooter’s iPhone, Find “Significant Ties” To Al Qaeda
CBSNews.com: Saudi shooter in Florida air base attack had ties to al Qaeda
TechSpot: Officials still want backdoor into cellphones after cracking two iPhones without help
Yahoo! News: U.S. Supreme Court heaps more damages on Sudan in embassy bombing cases
iPhone Hacks: FBI Has Reportedly Unlocked One of the iPhones Used by Mass Shooter in Florida Last Year
The Mac Observer: FBI Bypasses Encryption on Pensacola Attacker’s iPhones
Cult of Mac: FBI cracks alleged al-Qaida shooter’s iPhone without Apple’s help
The Guardian: Pensacola gunman’s cellphones reveal meticulous planning for attack, FBI says
UPI.com: FBI: Agents unlocked phones to tie Pensacola gunman Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani to al-Qaida
TIME: Gunman in Deadly Pensacola Military Base Attack Linked to al-Qaida, FBI Says
Ars Technica: iPhone crypto hid al-Qaida link to naval base shooting, AG fumes
USATODAY: Feds connect al Qaeda contacts to deadly Pensacola Naval Air Station shooting
New York Post: FBI found al Qaeda’s link to Pensacola shooter through iPhones
AppleInsider: FBI breaks iPhone security to uncover Pensacola shooter & Al Qaeda link [u]
The Huffington Post : FBI Says It Found Links Between Pensacola Gunman And Al-Qaeda
Capital Gazette: Gunman accused of killing 3 sailors at Pensacola military base linked to al-Qaida, US official says
Stars and Stripes: FBI: Shooter at Naval Air Station Pensacola had link to al-Qaida
TIME: Gunman in Deadly Pensacola Military Base Attack Linked to al-Qaida, FBI Says
Ars Technica: iPhone crypto hid al-Qaida link to naval base shooting, AG fumes
Heavy.com: Pensacola, Florida Gunman Mohammed Alshamrani Link to Al-Qaida Found
Engadget: AG Barr seeks ‘legislative solution’ to make companies unlock phones
Daily Dot: FBI unlocks Pensacola shooter’s iPhone despite Apple’s opposition
Multichannel: AG Barr Hammers Apple in Terrorism Case Announcement
Vox: Why Attorney General Bill Barr is mad at Apple
Heavy.com: Pensacola, Florida Gunman Mohammed Alshamrani Link to Al-Qaida Found
POLITICO: Pensacola gunman was working with al Qaeda, FBI finds
USNI News: FBI Says Unlocked iPhone Messages Link NAS Pensacola Shooter to Al Qaeda; AG Barr Says Incident was ‘Act of Terrorism’
Input: FBI breaks into Pensacola shooter’s iPhone after six months, revealing al Qaeda links
TribLIVE: FBI: Shooter at Pensacola military base linked to al-Qaida
emptywheel: Bill Barr and Chris Wray Schedule a Press Conference to Admit Trump Let an Al Qaeda Terrorist onto Our Military Base
PhoneArena: Who is lying, Apple or Attorney General William Barr?
Channel News Asia: FBI phone probe links al Qaeda to Saudi who killed 3 at Florida base
RT USA: Saudi pilot who went on gun rampage at Florida naval base linked to ‘Al-Qaeda operative’
Algemeiner.com: FBI Phone Probe Links Al Qaeda to Saudi Shooter Who Killed Three at Florida Navy Base
MacDailyNews: Apple rejects ‘false claims’ by Justice Department regarding Islamic terrorist attack in Pensacola
Reuters: U.S.: FBI phone probe links al Qaeda to Saudi who killed three at Florida base, Barr says
France 24: FBI says al Qaeda linked to Saudi shooter at Florida naval base
The New Daily: FBI links al-Qaeda to US base shooting
MacDailyNews: FBI cracks iPhone encryption, links al Qaeda to Islamic terrorist who killed three at Florida naval base
MacDailyNews: Apple rejects ‘false claims’ by Justice Department regarding Islamic terrorist attack in Pensacola
CNN.com: FBI delivers to America a chilling reminder about al Qaeda
Input: FBI breaks into Pensacola shooter’s iPhone after six months, revealing al Qaeda links
The Verge: The FBI successfully broke into a gunman’s iPhone, but it’s still very angry at Apple
Washington Post: Attorney general and FBI director blast Apple after tracing Pensacola gunman’s phone to al-Qaeda
New York Times: F.B.I. Finds Links Between Pensacola Gunman and Al Qaeda
@adamgoldmanNYT: The F.B.I. found the gunman, a Saudi Air Force cadet training with the American military, had communicated with a Qaeda operative who had encouraged the attacks
@kevincollier: "Breaking encryption" on an iPhone has a specific meaning and enormous consequences. I really hope those making that claim today wouldn't do so without backing it up.
@nakashimae: FBI Director Chris Wray: "We received effectively no help from Apple" in accessing the Pensacola shooter's iPhones.
@zackwhittaker: Apple in January: "The FBI only notified us on January 6 that they needed additional assistance—a month after the attack occurred. Only then did we learn about the existence of a second iPhone associated with the investigation and the FBI's inability to access either iPhone."
@zackwhittaker: Apple also said at the time it responded to six more legal requests for information between Dec. 7 and Dec. 14, and that it provided iCloud backups, account information and transactional data for multiple accounts.
@zackwhittaker: It's not that Apple provided "effectively no help" to the FBI. It's that Apple didn't acquiesce to the wants and wishes of the government and backdoor its own devices. We almost had an entire court case about this — but the FBI bottled it.
@iblametom: New - The FBI hacks into the iPhones of Pensacola shooter, finds links to Al Qaeda. But director Chris Wray still says Apple should've helped and its delays caused real problems.
@karaswisher: Looks like the government can do what it said it could not do
@macrumors: FBI Reportedly Gained Access to iPhone Used by Mass Shooter in Florida After Apple Refused to Help https://macrumors.com/2020/05/18/fbi-reportedly-accessed-alshamrani-iphone/ by @rsgnl
@zackwhittaker: ACLU statement is extremely Nail polish "The boy who cried wolf has nothing on the agency that cried encryption."
@iblametom: Source at FBI told me they chose the wrong battle with Pensacola too... they’ve been able to get into iPhone 5 and 7 for some time.
@dotmudge: Two things: 1 - AQAP (Al Qaeda Arabian Peninsula) linked terrorist attack on US soil, and it barely makes the news cycle 2 - investigations show accessing iPhones on one-off’s continues to negate necessity to drop user crypto protections at large
@DevlinBarrett: Attorney general and FBI director crank up their encryption fight with Apple, blasting the company after agents traced data on a Pensacola gunman’s phone to al-Qaeda
@ahmed: FBI says Saudi shooter at Pensacola base was in touch with al-Qaeda leaders, accuses Apple of wasting “valuable time” by refusing to unlock his phone to investigators