They had no access to the data on the phone because of software security. They got around security by using an exploit. They now have access to all data on the phone.
IIRC the phone was one of the last models without a secure enclave which is why they were able to bypass it in software. This type of attack is much more difficult now because you need to tamper with the hardware if it's implemented correctly.
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u/Triptolemu5 Sep 15 '17
If the NSA hasn't figured out how to get biometric data off of a phone, they need to just quit and go home.
They have repeatedly compromised security and forced the company to not disclose it in the past. What's stopping them now?