The ability for the FBI to access the iPhone 5c in the possession of Syed Farook without Apple's assistance may represent a significant vulnerability, representing a threat to millions of current iPhone users in the US. The fact that the FBI resorted to external assistance makes clear that this capability rests outside of FBI/Justice Department control. It falls upon the FBI to disclose this vulnerability to Apple for correction, as well as to cybersecurity incident response and research teams if the vulnerability can be launched over the Internet.



