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Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

propublica.org

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Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#2
'"While this court is cognizant and sensitive to concerns about terrorism, being located less than a mile from the 9/11 site, and having seen firsthand the effects of terrorist destruction, nonetheless, the hallmark of our great nation is that it is a democracy, with a transparent government," she [Supreme Court Judge Doris Ling-Cohan] wrote in her decision last month.'

Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#3
> "releasing the documents would hamper the department's ability to conduct operations and endanger the lives of New Yorkers."

Then apparently the lives of New Yorkers are protected by security through obscurity, with absolutely no evidence of efficacy and absolutely no auditable evaluation of safety.

I'm thinking that a strong education in science should be a requirement for anyone who touches these programs with a ten foot pole.

Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#4

> "releasing the documents would hamper the department's ability to conduct operations and endanger the lives of New Yorkers." Then apparently the lives of New Yorkers are protected by security through obscurity, with absolutely no evidence of efficacy and absolutely no auditable evaluation of safety. I'm thinking that a strong education in science should be a requirement for anyone who touches these programs with a…

There's a difference between "secrecy" and "security", and when people complain about how releasing some information would hamper / endanger lives, they mean that some amount of secrecy is involved in protecting stuff.

Computer nerds often don't understand Kerckhoffs's law this way. The security of a system should not be dependent on obscurity, but some amount of security will depend on secrecy, i.e. your private key / password.

So for example, the list of all confidential informants is kept secret. The release of that list of informants would "hamper the department's ability to conduct operations and endanger the lives of New Yorkers", in addition to endangering the lives of the informants themselves. Does that mean that it is dependent on "obscurity", or, secrecy? Yes, but that is the way it always is. There will be some information that if disclosed could result in bad things happening. "Education in science" won't help with this basic fact about the universe.

Of course, whether or not these vans genuinely represent information that should be kept secret, who knows. Often people believe that too much information should be kept secret, and when you're talking about information in a free society, we probably should accept some danger over granting someone power, but that seems to be a minority opinion...

Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#5
post #4

> "releasing the documents would hamper the department's ability to conduct operations and endanger the lives of New Yorkers." Then apparently the lives of New Yorkers are protected by security through obscurity, with absolutely no evidence of efficacy and absolutely no auditable evaluation of safety. I'm thinking that a strong education in science should be a requirement for anyone who touches these programs with a…

There's a difference between "secrecy" and "security", and when people complain about how releasing some information would hamper / endanger lives, they mean that some amount of secrecy is involved in protecting stuff. Computer nerds often don't understand Kerckhoffs's law this way. The security of a system should not be dependent on obscurity, but some amount of security will depend on secrecy, i.e. your private key…

If someone is shooting ionizing radiation at me, on purpose, without my permission, I want to know about it. Especially since I am helping pay for it.

If it was me doing it to them, it'd be assault.

Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#6
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a difference between "secrecy" and "security", and when people complain about how releasing some information would hamper / endanger lives, they mean that some amount of secrecy is involved in protecting stuff. Computer nerds often don't understand Kerckhoffs's law this way. The security of a system should not be dependent on obscurity, but some amount of security will depend on secrecy, i.e. your private key…

If someone is shooting ionizing radiation at me, on purpose, without my permission, I want to know about it. Especially since I am helping pay for it. If it was me doing it to them, it'd be assault.

Yes. Although there are a lot of sources of ionizing radiation being shot at you, and it generally works out. I'd be worried more about the fourth amendment.

Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#7
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a difference between "secrecy" and "security", and when people complain about how releasing some information would hamper / endanger lives, they mean that some amount of secrecy is involved in protecting stuff. Computer nerds often don't understand Kerckhoffs's law this way. The security of a system should not be dependent on obscurity, but some amount of security will depend on secrecy, i.e. your private key…

If someone is shooting ionizing radiation at me, on purpose, without my permission, I want to know about it. Especially since I am helping pay for it. If it was me doing it to them, it'd be assault.

> it'd be assault

Terrorism is the trendy thing.

Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#8
post #4

> "releasing the documents would hamper the department's ability to conduct operations and endanger the lives of New Yorkers." Then apparently the lives of New Yorkers are protected by security through obscurity, with absolutely no evidence of efficacy and absolutely no auditable evaluation of safety. I'm thinking that a strong education in science should be a requirement for anyone who touches these programs with a…

There's a difference between "secrecy" and "security", and when people complain about how releasing some information would hamper / endanger lives, they mean that some amount of secrecy is involved in protecting stuff. Computer nerds often don't understand Kerckhoffs's law this way. The security of a system should not be dependent on obscurity, but some amount of security will depend on secrecy, i.e. your private key…

I suggest not comparing secrecy and security directly. I suggest the real misunderstandings are the difference between secrecy and privacy, between vulnerability and security.

Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#9
post #2

'"While this court is cognizant and sensitive to concerns about terrorism, being located less than a mile from the 9/11 site, and having seen firsthand the effects of terrorist destruction, nonetheless, the hallmark of our great nation is that it is a democracy, with a transparent government," she [Supreme Court Judge Doris Ling-Cohan] wrote in her decision last month.'

[deleted]

Re: Judge Orders NYPD to Release Records on X-ray Vans

#10
It seems the NYPDs argument is that releasing information on the vans will allow people to predict where they are (or more likely be told ala speed cameras) and so avoid them (civilians as well as criminals).

That's kind of the point of a deterrent.

You cannot scan every car on every journey, at least not without a massive spike in cancers, so this is a deterrent.

And it's a secret deterrant....

So it won't catch anyone because you can't scan everyone, and it won't deter anyone because no one knows it's there

Seems a waste

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