Since NSA/FBI can reroute shipping boxes and install malware in them - do they have any plans against that?
Tamper evident holograms above each and every screw?
Blackphone
161–170 of 210 posts
Re: Blackphone
#162Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Strip out the baseband" of a dongle and you won't have a device that can connect to the network, authenticate, shift cells or anything else. It's like stripping the firmware off your disk drive. Fully support the initiative for an open baseband. One reason it's not open is the (fairly legit) fear that intentional and unintentional DoS attacks would occur, affecting everyone in the area. It's really really simple to…
Fully support the initiative for an open baseband. I would love to live in a world where this can happen. But we don't live in that world. The carriers have paid billions of dollars for exclusive use of their frequency bands. And their hundreds of billions of dollars of revenue depend upon smooth operation of all devices on the network using those bands. They will use whatever means to protect this. OK, so let's talk…
I think theres a misunderstanding here. Nobody wants to buy the actual frequency spectrum or compete with carriers; we just want to control the software and processor that does the GSM, 3G and LTE communication, on whatever frequency.
(That is not to say carriers won't do everything in their power to stop actual open source software and hardware implementations; mobile only works because all the devices behave nicely according to the specification, an attacker could with very little power severely compromise the network. There is just a very large barrier to entry, and dumb, bruteforce solutions can be triangulated.)
Re: Blackphone
#163Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hmm, I'd say the real privacy issue is the user who installs and runs all those Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. apps and freely shares his private information with everyone. You can't really prevent that with technology unless you start to educate kids/users better. But who am I kidding? People will forfeit their private data for shiny stuff as long as there will be shiny stuff and private data.
No. The problem is not the common user who just follows common hardware and software. The problem is common hardware and software, which put security last.
That hardware and software are being selected by users. Unless you become the government, your "solutions" will be less preferred and will die. At best you can sell luxury products to paranoid, Howard Hughes types.
Re: Blackphone
#164Will someone please tell them to remove the clips in their video of testing a white phone in the interest of brand consistency? Also this idea seems like a solid game plan for Blackberry? They could rename their company "Black" ala P-Diddy v just Diddy. :)
Re: Blackphone
#165Isn't this kinda moot if you're using any services that is domiciled in the States?
remember: as long as you are outside the US, you are safe from espionage
Re: Blackphone
#166Does anyone else see this as ridiculous attempt to profit off the NSA leaks. The video is about scaring people into believing their being "enslaved" and are coming out with a device that has "never before before created" that is aimed at "for privacy-minded, security-minded people". It's filled with unrelated words like "neutrality", "all walks of life", "innovative thinkers" to make it seem legit.
There is no mention of the methods used by the phone to ensure privacy.
Re: Blackphone
#167Earlier quoted context omitted.
I believe you have the right idea. To isolate audio/message encryption in one box, stream it via IP to cellular (LTE/4G/etc) towers in another box. Then, the customer puts those two boxes into one box. It could basically be done today with an Android PDA running VoiP app only, connected over wifi to a cellular hotspot in one's pocket. The next evolution would be to replace the wifi with a wired network.
I'm probably going to submit this + some specific privacy/location/etc. protecting services as a turnkey thing to DC/BH 2014. Also looking at a kickstarter for something on the "travel router which isn't a complete piece of crap" front.
I'm curious what you'd like to see in a travel router. Is it mainly the software or hardware you think needs work, or both?
On the software front, I have an OpenWRT image which I think works pretty well for travel which I've been meaning to publish (routes all traffic over an OpenVPN tunnel and can act simultaneously as a WIFI client to the hotel network and as an access point for your own network). The hardware is nothing special (WRT54GL) and it would definitely be nice if it were more portable. I'd love to hear your thoughts and will be looking forward to that kickstarter.
Re: Blackphone
#168Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm probably going to submit this + some specific privacy/location/etc. protecting services as a turnkey thing to DC/BH 2014. Also looking at a kickstarter for something on the "travel router which isn't a complete piece of crap" front.
I'm curious what you'd like to see in a travel router. Is it mainly the software or hardware you think needs work, or both? On the software front, I have an OpenWRT image which I think works pretty well for travel which I've been meaning to publish (routes all traffic over an OpenVPN tunnel and can act simultaneously as a WIFI client to the hotel network and as an access point for your own network). The hardware is n…
Hardware. USB powered. Dual radio, ideally dual dual band (so 4 radios which can be 1-4 in use). Ethernet port. Probably a USB port for 4g. Ideally a good form factor. Probably no battery, use a USB battery or laptop.
My goal would be to never ever connect my devices to wifi, and run everything through the device.
There are lots of attempts to make current hw work for this, but while you can get close, nothing is good enough IMO. I have the tplink, the belkin, etc with different firmware.
Enough flash and ram to run sane openwrt, and maybe options for a VPN client, and a stretch of Tor. Fitting that within the power budget would be the issue.
Re: Blackphone
#169Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm curious what you'd like to see in a travel router. Is it mainly the software or hardware you think needs work, or both? On the software front, I have an OpenWRT image which I think works pretty well for travel which I've been meaning to publish (routes all traffic over an OpenVPN tunnel and can act simultaneously as a WIFI client to the hotel network and as an access point for your own network). The hardware is n…
Hardware. USB powered. Dual radio, ideally dual dual band (so 4 radios which can be 1-4 in use). Ethernet port. Probably a USB port for 4g. Ideally a good form factor. Probably no battery, use a USB battery or laptop. My goal would be to never ever connect my devices to wifi, and run everything through the device. There are lots of attempts to make current hw work for this, but while you can get close, nothing is goo…
There are also software features missing on current devices, especially in stock firmware. A really good firewall, VPN client, and other security tools would be nice. Central enterprise management and/or managed service as an option would also be wonderful. My main goal is execs who travel to China regularly.
Re: Blackphone
#170Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm probably going to submit this + some specific privacy/location/etc. protecting services as a turnkey thing to DC/BH 2014. Also looking at a kickstarter for something on the "travel router which isn't a complete piece of crap" front.
I'm curious what you'd like to see in a travel router. Is it mainly the software or hardware you think needs work, or both? On the software front, I have an OpenWRT image which I think works pretty well for travel which I've been meaning to publish (routes all traffic over an OpenVPN tunnel and can act simultaneously as a WIFI client to the hotel network and as an access point for your own network). The hardware is n…
The problem with doing wifi weird bridge mode where you are on both networks leads to performance issues on busy networks because you are necessarily on the same channels.
It might be worth giving that up since then existing hardware is usable.