Apple Rehires Encryption Expert

Apple’s encryption battle against the FBI may have simmered down, but Apple is not backing down on further bolstering the security of its devices.

The tech giant has rehired Jon Callas, a top security professional, who cofounded many secure communications companies, including Blackphone, PGP Corp. and Silent Circle, Reuters reported.

The proclaimed crypto-wizard previously worked for Apple in the 1990s and did a recent stint between 2009 and 2011. In his time at Apple, Callas built an encryption system to safeguard data stored on Mac computers.

Callas’ appointment comes just weeks after the FBI spent $1.34 million breaking into the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters, which Apple had declined to unlock, despite orders from the Justice Department.

While, for now, the episode of Apple defying government orders for user privacy seems to have come to rest, the authorities continue to maintain their position on requiring tech companies to circumvent their own encryption technology for zeroing in on criminals.

There’s even a Senate committee which is currently deciding on legislation regarding making companies give authorities access to encrypted devices.

Apple doesn’t seem to have any intentions of budging, of course. Apple’s move to hire Callas, however, doesn’t necessarily indicate that the company is strengthening its position solely to resist any moves by the government.

According to Reuters, Callas has previously voiced his opinion against the government for compelling tech companies to bypass their own encryption but has also given his support on working toward a compromise deal, which would let law enforcement seek a court order to hack into tech systems through undisclosed vulnerabilities that would later need to be disclosed so that they can be fixed.