Re:The FBI could have broken into San Bernadino shooter's ph...
by maxerickson on Thursday April 05, 2018 @11:06AM
(#16765558)
And yet: As described earlier, our inquiry did not reveal that anyone in OTD had withheld knowledge of an existing FBI capability, as EAD Hess had feared. However, our inquiry suggests that CEAU did not pursue all possible avenues in the search for a solution. The CEAU Chief told the OIG that, after the outside vendor came forward, he became frustrated that the case against Apple could no longer go forward, and he vented his frustration to the ROU Chief. He acknowledged that during this conversation between the two, he expressed disappointment that the ROU Chief had engaged an outside vendor to assist with the Farook iPhone, asking the ROU Chief, “Why did you do that for?” According to the CEAU Chief, his unit did not ask CEAU’s partners to check with their outside vendors. CEAU was only interested in knowing what their partners had in hand – indicating that checking with “everybody” did not include OTD’s trusted vendors, at least in the CEAU Chief’s mind. However, we believe CEAU should have checked with OTD’s trusted vendors for possible solutions before advising OTD management, FBI leadership, or the USAO that there was no other technical alternative and that compelling Apple’s assistance was necessary to search the Farook iPhone.
The guy supposed to be looking for technical solutions, upon finding someone had asked vendors about technical solutions:
The guy supposed to be looking for technical solutions, upon finding someone had asked vendors about technical solutions:
“Why did you do that for?”