We'll probably never know how the FBI unlocked the San Bernardino iPhone

The FBI is pleading ignorance about the method used to hack a terrorist's iPhone. The bureau claims it "knows so little" about the method that it doesn't make sense to launch an internal review to disclose to Apple what vulnerability was used.

FBI Director James Comey said the bureau is "close" to deciding whether or not to start the review process. Comey says the decision rests on whether the agency was "aware of a vulnerability, or did [the FBI] just buy a tool and don't have sufficient knowledge of the vulnerability."

Assuming the review were to be performed, the onus would fall on various government bodies including intelligence agencies. The study would determine if there's a vulnerability, how many people are possibly affected by it, and how likely it will be exploited. The review will also have to decide whether keeping the vulnerability open will benefit national security, or whether it's too dangerous to be left unpatched.

Otherwise, the FBI plans to alert the White House that it doesn't know how the underlying code used to break into the phone works, and thus shouldn't have to investigate and disclose the vulnerability.

The decision not to disclose this iPhone vulnerability could draw ire from come privacy advocates as an attempt by the FBI to chip away at encryption and cyber security.

An Apple spokesperson speaking with The Wall Street Journal said the company was confident that the exploit the FBI paid for would have a short shelf-life, as the company is constantly auditing and improving the security of its products. This does seem the case, as the exploit used by the FBI only works on the iPhone 5C running iOS 9, but won't work on the iPhone 5s and newer iPhone models.

Fighting for encryption

The battle between Apple and the FBI began when Apple refused to comply with the bureau's request to break into an iPhone used by terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook. Apple claimed the FBI wanted the company to build a backdoor into iOS for government mass surveillance.

Now the battle continues as Apple tries to find out how the FBI broke into the iPhone. The issue is complicated by the fact that the FBI didn't hack the iPhone by themselves, instead hiring a still undisclosed company over $1 million to break into the phone.

• Apple is reportedly working to make the iPhone unhackable

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