[froo]

It's not about the government getting access to a tool like this, Apple specifically doesn't want to create a tool that can easily defeat its own security, to then hand over to the FBI. The government has, on numerous occasions, shown it has some pretty horrible practises in securing information, and this kind of tool being let out into the wild is bad for For everyone (not just Apple).

Why risk opening that Pandora's box? If the tool doesn't exist, it can't be exploited by bad actors

[jondubois]

What tool? Apple can just give the government the private key for that specific phone. Done.

Everyone else is still safe. Safer, I might add. So long as there is a clear process for the government to get access to specific keys for specific phones.

If Apple is CAPABLE of building such a tool (and use it for themselves), then I think the government should have access to it too.

[snowwrestler]

Apple does not have the key for that phone. No one does.

What the FBI is asking Apple to do is write software that will turn off the "wipe after 10 wrong passcodes" feature of iOS, so that the passcode can be brute-forced.

Setting aside the government's interest in such a tool, imagine the interest from hackers.

Consider that in 2011, someone hacked into RSA to steal info about their tokens, just so that they could then hack in Lockheed to steal top-secet info.

Now imagine someone hacks into Apple (very possible to happen) and steals the security-defeating software code to install on other iPhones.

[cmurf]

If you're asking what tool FBI wants (special weakened version of iOS), and suggesting Apple hand over a non-existent private key, then you don't understand the basics of the dispute.