A new report from The Washington Post says the FBI has continuously inflated the number of devices it has been unable to unlock due to increasingly strong encryption. While the bureau has repeatedly said it has been unable to access nearly 7,800 devices, the actual number is said to be far less…
As the report explains, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray has cited the 7,800 figure several times over the last seven months. Last month, however, the FBI became aware that the actual number was far less – somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000.
The FBI is said to still not have an accurate count, but one internal estimate reportedly pegged the number of locked phones at 1,200. The agency says it will now conduct an internal audit to find the correct total.
According to an FBI statement, the miscalculation was due to the use of three different databases that counted the same phones multiple times.
The FBI has used the 7,800 number to call on companies like Apple to create so-called backdoor access to devices. The agency today, however, continued its stance that encryption is a “serious problem” for the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. It said it will continue pushing for a solution that gives law enforcement easier access to encrypted devices.
Meanwhile, Apple has stood firm in its belief that creating such tools would significantly comprise the security of user devices. Most recently, Craig Federighi said that “weakening security makes no sense when you consider that customers rely on our products to keep their personal information safe.”
