The FBI, after several unsuccessful attempts to ask Apple to break the confidentiality of the iPhone of terrorist Syed Farook, from San Bernardino, ended up finding a means of access through a hack tool. Apple, after that, went in search of information about how this tool works and about the exploited vulnerability.
The process was classified by the bureau as secret, and attempts by the Associated Press, USA Today and Vice News to reveal the tool used at the time also failed.
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The disclosure would make the company a target of retaliation, which could happen through hacks and exploits, and which most likely it would not be able to resist, according to Chutkan. To top it off, revealing the value would send a message to "adversaries" about the readiness with which the FBI can use the tool in the future.
The magistrate also rejected the argument that the quote by former FBI director James Comey about having a "very high" price equates to an official disclosure requesting a broader version. According to the decision, the information needed to be more specific.
To top it off, even though Comey said that the tool was only valid on an iPhone 5c running iOS 9, the FBI could, in theory, ask the developer to create an implementation to be able to expand its use to other models. Thus, the judge believes that if the seller is exposed, it could "jeopardize the FBI's future efforts to protect national security."
Privacy advocates say the FBI having that power could pose a risk to freedom of expression. Even without the knowledge of the exploited loophole, Apple does not have the ability to protect users from other attacks.
