A court order for Apple to help the FBI carry out a brute-force attack on the iPhone used by shooters in last year’s San Bernardino terrorist attack would set a precedent with broad implications, experts say.

For one, it could mean that in the future makers of encryption products might have to modify them to meet similar orders if they can’t otherwise access the encrypted data they contain. This raises the concern of privacy advocates who say encryption is important not only to protect personal data but also to safeguard transactions and industrial secrets.

On the flip side, if the order is overturned, it could leave law enforcement without a tool it desperately wants until a federal law passes that clearly spells out that product manufacturers must be able to meet the demands of such orders. Given the contentious nature of federal politics this year, that could be a long process.

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