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India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

reuters.com

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Re: India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

#221

Post by makingstuffs »

et-al wrote: post #120
rishabhaiover wrote: post #22

I'm shocked by people and state using the crutch of cyber crime or scams to push a totalitarian solution to a problem that is better solved by improved education and targeted campaigns against common security pitfalls. I abhor any decision that robs even a grain of my individual freedom.

FYI two years ago, the Indian government shut down mobile service in the state of Punjab to catch one person: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35303486

I was there during this, literally text my wife when got notice and said “I do not know when I will be able to text next so keep an eye on your email”.

Re: India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

#222

Post by sandeepkd »

profsummergig wrote: post #210
MonkeyClub wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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"Brahminical Hindus" is new concept I heard for the first time. From an academic perspective, I would more than likely challenge the word "hindu" being used as a religion name. Most religions are more defined/codified. At the end of the day its all a tool to manage power/people, boundaries or groups can be created with almost any data point. Your comment/observation just happens to define/declare one new type of boundary

Re: India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

#225

Post by radicaldreamer »

mlmonkey wrote: post #110
radicaldreamer wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So a pretty transparent way to tie IMEI to someone's identity and track their location under the guise of "finding lost phones" and "checking your phone's authenticity"

IMEI is already tied to your identity. You need ID to buy a phone or a SIM.

I think this is to crack down on sharing a SIM card which is registered to someone else. It ties identity + location + aggregates all SIMs registered to someone with their current location.

Not to mention they can probably payload anything into the app whenever they want.

Re: India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

#226

Post by mac-attack »

nunobrito wrote: post #186
snapcaster wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you're all over this thread saying this, can you link an article or at least explain what you mean?

It is tiresome to repeat every single time the arguments that so many other cyber experts have also mentioned including here on YC. This is quite the common knowledge by now. Kindly use the search box on the bottom of the page.

Can you see how you look like a bad faith actor by making claims and they telling others to research your facts?

Re: India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

#228

Post by lxgr »

nextos wrote: post #214
lxgr wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The lack of digital ID is a huge problem in many domains and enables a lot of scams and crime in the first place. Requiring identification in situations that don't need it is where the problems start, but that's possible with analog IDs as well, and is often even worse there (since these provide neither security against digital copies, nor privacy, which digital ID can, e.g. via zero knowledge proofs).

Personally, I liked the low-tech solution of code cards + password (2FA), used by e.g. Denmark as digital ID, now discontinued. I am aware that it is imperfect, and if you are not careful with MITM attacks you can get in trouble, but it was a good compromise to avoid the temptation to track citizens. Something like a hardware TAN generator, but with protection against MITM, would be an ideal compromise. The current t…

Definitely, requiring the entire smartphone to be "trusted" is way too much.

Small external signers with a display and confirmation button are a nice compromise (and also largely solve MITM!), since I don't mind an external device being under somebody else's administrative control as long as I can run what I want on my smartphone or computer.

But people don't want to carry two things... Hopefully we can at least have both as alternatives going forward.

Re: India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

#229

Post by phatfish »

lxgr wrote: post #202
nephihaha wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mate, this isn't even remotely "nationalist". This stuff is being pushed across the world. Digital ID? The only people really desperate for it are our rulers.

The lack of digital ID is a huge problem in many domains and enables a lot of scams and crime in the first place. Requiring identification in situations that don't need it is where the problems start, but that's possible with analog IDs as well, and is often even worse there (since these provide neither security against digital copies, nor privacy, which digital ID can, e.g. via zero knowledge proofs).

It's like people want to hand over scans of their passport and/or driving license to random businesses again and again, every time the need to prove who they are; and have their ID documents littered in Outlook mailboxes or company file shares with zero permissions.

Or be forced to install yet another ID app from a private service that requires you have an iPhone or "compatible" Android.

The debate about this in the UK is just crazy. Notwithstanding the current "febrile" state of politics. It has always received weirdly vitriolic push back.

What really is the Government going to do with a digital ID service that they can't do already?

I just want to be able to give estate agents, solicitors, a bank, etc my ID number and a time-limited code that proves I am in control of that ID (or however that might work), and be done with it.

Re: India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

#230

Post by whatsupdog »

MonkeyClub wrote: post #155
rishabhaiover wrote: post #22

I'm shocked by people and state using the crutch of cyber crime or scams to push a totalitarian solution to a problem that is better solved by improved education and targeted campaigns against common security pitfalls. I abhor any decision that robs even a grain of my individual freedom.

> I'm shocked India is currently run by a nationalist regime headed by the so called "butcher of Gujarat"[1], there isn't much that would shock me wrt to that lot's totalitarian tendencies. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_image_of_Narendra_Modi

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