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Russia blocks ProtonMail

reuters.com

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Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#151

Post by joering2 »

als0 wrote: post #126
joering2 wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference was that number one Lavabit was made by a US citizen, and its servers were in the USA. Number two, Lavabit kept all keys to your email at their own premises and could de-crypt your email on their side. Protonmail cannot do so, because your password is a part of they key to decrypt email, and they do not know it, nor they can crack it in a reasonable amount of time, so AFAIK there is nothing they can pr…

As long as you don't control the JavaScript that handles your keys, they can do whatever they like.

I actually do. I don't use their app, only the website. Their JS files are served from my own webserver so I do know their content. Besides, nothing stops someone super-paranoid to check the JS code upon login before they put their password in.

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#152

Post by C14L »

45ure wrote: post #94
pdimitar wrote: post #66

Well, that in my eyes is a very solid advertising in favour of ProtonMail. And it's not like Russians, Chinese and generally people in countries whose governments are in the habit of censoring the internet aren't used to using Tor and/or VPNs to dodge censorship.

>Well, that in my eyes is a very solid advertising in favour of ProtonMail. In context of 5/9/14+ eyes, the nomenclature of solid advertising might differ from your interpretation, where perceptions matter ─ ranging from honeypots, compromised Tor exit nodes to dubious VPN providers, absence of warrant canaries to flawed encryption products etc. It is probably best to exercise caution and remain sceptical, rather tha…

There is ProtonVPN. Proton is based on Switzerland, so no N eyes interference there. At least not via a legal route.

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#153

Post by ymolodtsov »

Jerry2 wrote: post #85
pdimitar wrote: post #66

Well, that in my eyes is a very solid advertising in favour of ProtonMail. And it's not like Russians, Chinese and generally people in countries whose governments are in the habit of censoring the internet aren't used to using Tor and/or VPNs to dodge censorship.

> Well, that in my eyes is a very solid advertising in favour of ProtonMail. ... if you live in Russia.

The thing is, it’s different from, let’s say, them blocking LinkedIn. VPN won’t solve for any Russian mail service.

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#154

Post by C14L »

throwawaylolx wrote: post #99
Jerry2 wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well, that in my eyes is a very solid advertising in favour of ProtonMail. ... if you live in Russia.

Not sure why you're getting downvoted: just because ProtonMail allegedly refused to cooperate with Russia, it doesn't mean they must act similarly when the request comes from a nation that can leverege more diplomatic pressure.

They are in Switzerland and Swiss judges are pretty independent.

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#155

Post by C14L »

d0mine wrote: post #114
pdimitar wrote: post #66

Well, that in my eyes is a very solid advertising in favour of ProtonMail. And it's not like Russians, Chinese and generally people in countries whose governments are in the habit of censoring the internet aren't used to using Tor and/or VPNs to dodge censorship.

I would be very surprised if certain agencies wouldn't have a nice search box for any content on ProtonMail (as it is for Gmail, etc if we believe Snowden). Remember Lavabit.

Under Swiss law, there is no "national security letter" equivalent.

Also, mailboxes are encrypted client side.

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#156

Post by craftinator »

kragen wrote: post #146
craftinator wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, you're right. It was a personal attack based on just how weird your fictional dialogue was, but personal attacks are anathema on HN. I apologise for mixing up platform social norms.

Please atone by responding to it with a thoughtful critique of my outline of the incentive structures of the different actors in the situation, or of my presentation thereof, even if you don't normally do such things. I know that's hard work, and you may doubt you can do it, but I have faith in you.

Read the names of the actors in your dialog. I'm less concerned with the incentive structure that you outline, and more concerned with the implicit negative bias you assign to them all and how that changes the narrative. Let's have a look:

IDIOT ANCHORPERSON COVERED IN MAKEUP

LOSER IN A SUIT

WIFE-BEATER IN A MUSTACHE

PANCAKE-THICK MAKEUP FACE

How is it that you planned to construct a useful dialogical analogy with such disparaging character names. It seems you are less interested in illustrating incentive structures than you are in shaming fictional characters. This is why I recommended therapy.

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#157

Post by lern_too_spel »

snarf21 wrote: post #117
lern_too_spel wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not the same scenario. Your scenario involves listening to everyone. The GP's scenario involves listening to a specific person with probable cause.

I hate this argument. So there was no crime before email? If you have pc, go get a wire tap or install microphones in their house or get an informant to infiltrate. Police work is hard and requires work but it is also what grants us presumption of innocence.

> If you have pc, go get a wire tap

That's what this is. Instead of getting a wire tap on phones, which nobody uses anymore, they're getting a wiretap on email.

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#158

Post by lern_too_spel »

takeda wrote: post #65
lern_too_spel wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not the same scenario. Your scenario involves listening to everyone. The GP's scenario involves listening to a specific person with probable cause.

Which translates to listening to everyone. Once they expose data of one user they will get requests for others. Patriot act which supposed to protect population from terrorists not only failed to accomplish it, it was used in war on drugs.

> Once they expose data of one user they will get requests for others.

How is this any different from phone wiretaps or other surveillance orders outside of email?

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#159

Post by ryanisnan »

ost wrote: post #119
ryanisnan wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're in russia and you're using an email address at a .ru TLD... you're doing it wrong.

What's the problem with .ru?

Well if the controlling authority of a TLD wanted to shut off a service, it's pretty easy to do that at the DNS level.

There are other ways that a government can restrict access to a user (or group of users), of course.

Still, if I were worried about being censored, I would try to make it as difficult as possible.

Re: Russia blocks ProtonMail

#160

Post by lern_too_spel »

cblades wrote: post #78
lern_too_spel wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not the same scenario. Your scenario involves listening to everyone. The GP's scenario involves listening to a specific person with probable cause.

Given that the police wanted information after having already received the threats, they had to have requested some combination of historical and future data. They almost certainly wanted historical data primarily so that they could find the person who sent the threats. There's no way to satisfy requests for historical data without capturing data from everyone.

> There's no way to satisfy requests for historical data without capturing data from everyone.

That's not what GGGP suggested. He suggested that they give data for specific people that they already have. You are setting up a strawman here.

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