[hannibalhorn]

Do we have any documentation that indicates it's impossible to do firmware updates without the user's passcode? That's what the government seems to believe that it could (at present) do, given Apple's cooperation. The iOS Security Guide doesn't seem to address that particular point.

[jarin]

It's possible to reflash the firmware in DFU mode, but it requires erasing the data on the phone. Or more technically, there's an encryption key in storage that needs to be regenerated to give access to the filesystem, but that encryption key (in conjunction with the hardware key in the Secure Enclave and the user's passcode, if set) is also necessary to read any user data on the phone.