As Apple faces criticism from the FBI for refusing to help law enforcement break into iPhones, rival Google is sitting on technology that would upgrade existing mobile devices with an encrypted "digital safe" that secures data, messages, and video and voice calls.
The technology, known as Project Vault, was created by a team led by Peiter Zatko, a hacker and security expert also known as Mudge who has since left Google. This month he called on Google to release the technology to underline its support for Apple's refusal to open phones for the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. Google spokeswoman Victoria Cassady wouldn't reply when asked whether the project was still active, but she hinted that there might be updates at Google's annual developer conference in May. Zatko said he is not permitted to comment on Google's plans.