Apple rehires security and encryption expert Jon Callas

Apple has added a security star to its firmament with the hire of Jon Callas to its security team.

Jon Callas is best known for his work on the pioneering PGP encryption system, including authoring the openPGP standard for IETF and developing PGP’s universal server software. He co-founded the secure-messaging system Silent Circle in 2012.

Callas has worked for Apple twice before, first from 1995 to 1997 and again from 2009 to 2011. During the second period, he oversaw the upgrades to FileVault in OS X Lion, the first full-disk encryption system to cover the computer’s entire home directory.

He also apparently has a sense of humor. As of this writing, his most recent job listing on LinkedIn is a bit unorthodox. He’s filled in the job-title field with “Personal Stealth Mode” and the company-name field with “I Could Tell You But Then I’d Have To Kill You and Associates.”

Apple was, of course, recently embroiled in a conflict with the FBI over whether it should be required to help the agency hack into an iPhone. Sources tell us that Callas will be helping Apple with security on its whole range of products.

Agencies/Canadajournal