Is the FBI's latest iPhone hack coming to YOUR phone next?

'I would hope they would give that information to Apple so that it can patch any weaknesses, but if the government classifies the tool, that suggests it may not.'

The Justice Department has discovered how to unlock the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters but has yet to divulge the tech to Apple Inc. Questions of an invasive government and privacy regulation changes have since come under criticism whiel Apple stumbles to repair the breach.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to a Justice Department filing: "The government has now successfully accessed the data stored on Farook's iPhone and therefore no longer requires the assistance from Apple Inc. mandated by Court's Order Compelling Apple Inc. to Assist Agents in Search dated February 16, 2016."

The two-page release, signed by United States Attorney Eileen Decker, Assistant United States Attorney Chief, National Security Division, Patricia Donaue and Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Wilkison, added, "Accordingly, the government hereby requests that the Order Compelling Apple Inc. to Assist Agents in Search dated February 16, 2016 be vacated."

The court order refers to the legal battle between the United States Justice Department and Apple Inc. over Apple's refusal to unlock one of the San Bernardino shooters' iPhones.

Esha Bhandari, a staff lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union, commented that the government's success in creating a tool to unlock iPhones could play a role in the technology's vulnerabilities, but it is under no obligation to share the tech with Apple.

"I would hope they would give that information to Apple so that it can patch any weaknesses," Bhandari stated, "but if the government classifies the tool, that suggests it may not."

Melanie Newman, a Justice Department spokeswoman, stated the tool is the property of the government and will be used to "obtain crucial digital information to protect national security and public safety...when cooperation fails."

Following the dropped lawsuit, Apple released a statement in which it admitted the case should never have existed, but the company plans to continue to assist with investigations.

As the FBI has yet to share the tool to unlock the iPhone, Apple announced it would "continue to increase the security of our products as the threats and attacks on our data become more frequent and more sophisticated."

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