A decision to drop the court case against Apple to force them to unlock an iPhone for a second time has raised more questions than answers in regards to the US government access to encrypted data. The case involved an iPhone 5s seized from a suspect as part of a 2014 drug investigation in New York.

The US Justice Department told the court an unnamed individual had offered them the passcode to the long-locked phone at the centre of the case.

Authorities said they entered the passcode by hand and gained access to the iPhone and no longer need Apple’s assistance and withdrew their application. The withdrawal leaves unchallenged a 50-page court ruling that the government doesn’t have legal authority to force companies like Apple to help investigators open devices.