FBI decides not to share iPhone unlock

The FBI has provisionally decided not to share an iPhone unlocking mechanism used by a contractor to open the phone of one of the San Bernardino shooters because the agency does not own the mechanism, two US government sources said on Tuesday.

The FBI is expected within days to write to the White House explaining why the agency cannot share the unlocking mechanism with other government agencies, Apple or other third parties, said the sources, who asked to remain anonymous.

Several US government sources said the FBI contractor that unlocked the shooter’s phone was a foreign entity and did not give US authorities details of the mechanism. Without that, the FBI could not share it even if it wanted to, sources said.

Reuters reported on April 13 that the unnamed contractor had sole ownership of the method it used, making it unlikely that the government could share it.

A day later, the FBI warned Apple of a separate flaw in its iPhone and Mac software, the company told Reuters on Tuesday.

It was the first time the government had alerted Apple to a vulnerability under a White House interagency procedure, known as the Vulnerabilities Equities Process, for reviewing technology security flaws and deciding which ones should be made public, the company said.

The FBI’s provisional decision means that the unlocking mechanism used on the San Bernardino iPhone will not be referred to the interagency procedure for review.

Earlier on Tuesday, FBI director James Comey said his agency was assessing whether the mechanism would go through the review.

“We are in the midst of trying to sort that out,” Comey said.

Officials have said that the interagency review process leans toward disclosure of technological flaws.