U.S. Department of Justice attorneys on Monday vacated legal action against Apple seeking to require the technology giant to help federal investigators access an iPhone associated with the San Bernardino, California, terrorist attacks.
Attorneys asked a judge to vacate a previous motion to compel Apple following a March 22 cancellation of a scheduled hearing. At that time, federal attorneys said they found an “outside party” that could potentially unlock the device.
The FBI had previously requested Apple create a backdoor into the phone, which the company has continuously refused to do.
The “outside party” was apparently successful. According to the latest court filing, “the government has now successfully accessed the data stored” on the phone, and “no longer requires the assistance from Apple Inc.,” previously ordered by Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Continuing public statements concerning the larger privacy issues around the legal action, Apple CEO Tim Cook, at a launch event last week, addressed the ongoing issue before showcasing the new iPhone SE.
“We did not expect to be in this position, at odds with our own government, but we believe strongly we have a responsibility to help you protect your data and your privacy,” Cook explained. “We will not shrink from this responsibility.”
