In a speech at Kenyon College, FBI Director James Comey said that the new tool used to successfully hack into the iPhone of San Bernardino terrorist Syed Farook will not work on newer model Apple Inc., devices.
He said the method only unlocked an iPhone 5c, which was used by Farook as an employee of San Bernardino County.
Comey continued to decline to identify the entity that provided the tool, but believed the method would be "closely protected'' and would be used "lawfully and appropriately.''
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"The FBI is very good at keeping secrets,'' Comey said, adding that the government has yet to decide whether to share the tool with Apple.
"We may end up there,'' he said. "We just haven't decided yet.''
Last week, the FBI abruptly withdrew from its legal battle to force Apple's assistance in unlocking the Farook phone after getting the help of the outside party. At the time, Apple was resisting a federal magistrate's order directing the tech giant to help.
Comey defended the legal action, saying that it "really, really was about getting access to a terrorist's phone.''
"It was not about setting precedent,'' he said, though he believed the courts were not the best venue to resolve the broad issues related to encryption. "It is a good thing the litigation is over,'' Comey said. "But it would be a bad thing if the conversation was over. At some point (encryption) is going to figure in a major tragedy,'' the FBI director added.