US Court asks Apple to assist the FBI in unlocking an iPhone. Apple says it will oppose the order

A court in the US state of California has ordered Apple to assist the FBI in its attempts to unlock a cell phone. The company is asked to provide the FBI with a software that would ‘bypass or disable the auto-erase function’, thus allowing the agency to try to open the phone by submitting multiple passwords. According to Wired, the court doesn’t ask Apple to directly unlock the phone, but to help the FBI in its efforts to do so. Apple’s CEO reacted by saying that the Court is actually asking the company to create ‘a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features’, and that such a software ‘would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession’. He argues that ‘building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor.’ As Apple announced that it would oppose the court order, the Electronic Frontier Foundation expressed support for this decision and said it would file an amicus briefing in support of Apple’s position.