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Wiretapping the Internet

schneier.com

1–10 of 39 posts

Re: Wiretapping the Internet

#2
If product x has a backdoor, this backdoor will also be used by bad people. It can also be cracked and there will always be product y without a backdoor. Don't the legislators see this? Or are criminals statistically really that lazy that they will still use mobile phones even though they are compromised.

According to "The Wire" they often even put extra layers of encryption security, anyway. Such behavior would make that legislation even more useless, as it would indeed only target the innocent that don't take extra precautions.

Re: Wiretapping the Internet

#3
This is the sort of thing that we get told will make my job easier.

Take from the horse mouth; complete crap.

Which is why you probably won't find anyone in the security or forensics business that thinks this is a good solution.

One of my trainers told me something to me when I first started working on LE cases. He pointed out that catching criminals can only be made so easy before it becomes detrimental. And that point is either when the tools can be used by anyone (i.e. not specialist investigators) or when the tools begin to facilitate crime.

Re: Wiretapping the Internet

#4
post #2

If product x has a backdoor, this backdoor will also be used by bad people. It can also be cracked and there will always be product y without a backdoor. Don't the legislators see this? Or are criminals statistically really that lazy that they will still use mobile phones even though they are compromised. According to "The Wire" they often even put extra layers of encryption security, anyway. Such behavior would make…

Are you taking about Season 1, crossing the fives?

Re: Wiretapping the Internet

#6
I particularly like his analogy:

"It's like the FBI demanding that no automobiles drive above 50 mph, so they can more easily pursue getaway cars. It might or might not work -- but, regardless, the cost to society of the resulting slowdown would be enormous."

Re: Wiretapping the Internet

#9

I particularly like his analogy: "It's like the FBI demanding that no automobiles drive above 50 mph, so they can more easily pursue getaway cars. It might or might not work -- but, regardless, the cost to society of the resulting slowdown would be enormous."

You like the analogy because a speed limit of 50 would result in a decrease of fatalities due to car accidents? I guess that's what he meant with "cost to society" since IIRC more fatalities result in a higher gross national product.

Re: Wiretapping the Internet

#10

Conspiracy theory: Whoever is behind this doesn't really want every company to rewrite all their software with back doors. Instead, a 'reasonable' request will be substituted after the initial uproar.

Somebody's been reading Robert Cialdini.

+1 because I got it.
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