Beacon Transcript

Information which Matters to You

Thursday, January 28, 2021
Log in

Your Phone Belongs to the Law

By

"Your Phone Belongs to the Law"

A new era in digital security with Apple’s security improvement.

We are living in the digital world, and we are all adapting the best we can. And we are not the only ones. Since 2014, your phone belongs to the Law. Confused? If you have yet to find out, you should know that judges can sign warrants authorizing policemen to gain access to the information stored on your phone.

With Apple’s security improvement, the fingerprint reader announced in 2013, came a new era in digital security. Your phone is indeed well protected against bad-doers, but what if you are one of them? Law enforcement can gain access to the information stored on your computer and your tablet, and it can surely find its way through your encrypted iPhone.

Such event took place no more than a year after Apple’s big security launch. Paytsar Bkhchadzhyan, a woman involved with a member of an Armenian gang, was forced to place her thumb on the Touch ID of her phone. Only forty-five minutes after the sentencing of the woman accused of identity theft, the judge signed the warrant that permitted law officers to search her phone. Paytsar Bkhchadzhyan is not a singular case. For example, in the case of the San Bernardino shooting, the FBI paid to bypass the security of the iPhone used by one of the shooters.

Even though The Fifth Amendment protects the citizens from self-incrimination, and stops the government from finding out passcodes or PINs, fingerprints are incriminating. It is because we are talking about a biometric indicator, that it is perfectly legal for the government to obtain such evidence and use it in a court of law.

Being such a sensitive subject for some people, the question asked now is “How do we protect our information?”. Although iPhone’s fingerprint reader is a state-of-the-art solution when it comes to digital security, we might just have to learn to reuse PINs. But it does come with a cost. Short PINs can be decrypted easily and long ones will get on your nerves if you have to check your phone frequently. So keep in mind that your phone belongs to the law and the law will surely find its way through all the traps that the citizens place willingly, or not, against it.

IMAGE SOURCE: NoSoloiOS

Apple might Face a Lawsuit over Error 53

By

"Apple might Face a Lawsuit over Error 53"

PCVA has begun to investigate the user’s allegations concerning error 53.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – If would seem that things are not looking too good for the Cupertino-based tech giant. A law firm has recently begun to investigate the user’s allegations, according to which Apple is using error 53 in order to ensure that the user doesn’t use third-party services. Apple might face a lawsuit over error 53 if the allegations prove to be true.

A law company by the name of Phau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC or PCVA for short has publically announced that it has begun an investigation into the error 53 issue. According to the law firm, over the next few weeks, in will begin to systematically investigate all the claims coming from the users who experienced the error 53 issue after updating their handsets to the newest version of iOS.

For those who are unaware, error 53 is that kind of glitch that somehow manages to turn your regular iPhone handset into a paperweight. Basically, the problem resides in the phone’s inability to recognize if the components are authentic or not. The new line of phone employs a pairing technology between the Touch ID sensor and the Fingerprint device.

For example, if you have issues with your handset, it seems only natural to bring your iPhone to a service. And yes, most iPhone users prefer to take their phone to a third-party service because Apple’s repair prices are quite high. If the technician uses a different power cable or swaps the defective phone button with a new one, the phone will detect that one or more components are not genuine and will return the dreaded error.

Moreover, according to the ongoing investigations, there are a couple of iPhone 6 users who have reported that they’ve actually received the message without any warning after updating their phone the latest version of iOS.

As for Apple, the Cupertino-based tech giant declared that this system only ensures that the no one is capable of accessing the user’s private data. Technically speaking, anyone getting hold of a handset, can swap the fingerprint sensor with another one and gain access to the user’s data without even breaking a sweat. According to Apple, this mechanism prevents data theft, but, lately, it would seem that this security policy is doing more harm than good.

And now, Apple might face a lawsuit over error 53 if the allegations are proven. According to several users who experienced the dreaded error 53 issues, the tech giant is taking advantage of this issue, in order to use it as leverage. By doing so, the tech giant allegedly makes sure that the users will use Apple’s repair services instead of a third-party service.

Photo credits:www.pixabay.com

Categories