The information in this article will probably not be news to the average fedi reader.
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The information in this article will probably not be news to the average fedi reader. If (in the US) the people who took your phone are law enforcement, your phone's biometric authentication is its weak spot. Because law enforcement can't legally compel you to turn over a PIN or password, but they CAN legally compel you to present your face or finger. And once they've used it to unlock the device, they can keep that device unlocked.
But it might be a useful bookmark to send to people who aren't quite so techie.
https://slate.com/technology/2024/09/new-york-city-mayor-eric-adams-fbi-investigation-cellphone.html
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Kim Scheinbergreplied to Jason Lefkowitz last edited by
@jalefkowit
"And once they've used it to unlock the device, they can change the settings to keep it unlocked."If I can change the settings on my iPhone to make it stay unlocked without first putting in my password, this is news to me
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Jason Lefkowitzreplied to Kim Scheinberg last edited by
@kims The article suggests that LEOs have a way around that, though being a general-audience news article it's light on details.
My guess would be they don't permanently change the lock settings, they just have something that keeps the phone unlocked for a period of time. They only need it unlocked long enough to clone the storage.
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Jason Lefkowitzreplied to Jason Lefkowitz last edited by [email protected]
My related question would be: many devices have a way to quickly disable biometric authentication, presumably for this exact type of scenario (e.g., the cops are breaking down your door). You can do that on an iPhone, for instance.
But they generally require some fiddling with the phone, which the cops might notice you doing.
If they DO notice you doing that -- or maybe even just suspect you did -- does that open you up to charges of obstructing an investigation? Since you did a thing that prevented them from being able to access evidence?
https://appleinsider.com/inside/iphone/tips/how-to-quickly-disable-face-id