Apple Engineers Could Refuse to Comply With the FBI’s Requests ⇥ nytimes.com

John Markoff, Katie Benner, and Brian X. Chen, New York Times:

If the F.B.I. wins its court fight to force Apple’s help in unlocking an iPhone, the agency may run into yet another roadblock: Apple’s engineers.

Apple employees are already discussing what they will do if ordered to help law enforcement authorities. Some say they may balk at the work, while others may even quit their high-paying jobs rather than undermine the security of the software they have already created, according to more than a half-dozen current and former Apple employees.

I’m sure Apple would hate to lose this talent, but these engineers would be fine if they had to leave. There isn’t a single tech company that doesn’t need to continuously monitor and improve its security, and those who worked on iOS are among the most qualified in the industry.

If the FBI thinks there’s a blue code amongst law enforcement, just wait until they meet a security professional defending the reputation of their work and the work of their colleagues.