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Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

windowscentral.com

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Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#291

Post by RockRobotRock »

pregnenolone wrote: post #216

I’m not trying to defend Microsoft, but I think people are being a bit dramatic. It's a fairly reasonable default setting for average users who simply want their data protected from theft. On the other hand, users should be able to opt out from the outset, and above all, without having to fiddle with the manage-bde CLI or group policy settings. With Intel Panther Lake (I'm not sure about AMD), Bitlocker will be entir…

>It's a fairly reasonable default setting for average users who simply want their data protected from theft.

Apple asks you when you set up your Mac if you want to do this. You can just ask the user, Microsoft!

Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#292

Post by justinc8687 »

mjevans wrote: post #146
raincole wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For something as widely adopted as Windows, the only sensible alternative is to not encrypt the disk by default. The default behavior will never ever be to "encrypt the disk by a key and encrypt the key with the user's password." It just doesn't work in real life. You'll have thousands of users who lost access to their disks every week.

While this is true, why even bother turning on encryption and making it harder on disk data recovery services in that case? Inform, and Empower with real choices. Make it easy for end users to select an alternate key backup method. Some potential alternatives: Allow their bank to offer such a service. Allow friends and family to self host such a service. Etc.

Stolen laptops would be my one idea here to always encrypt, even if MS / Apple has your key and can easily give it to the government? This way you have to know a user's password / login info to steal their information if you steal their computer (for the average theif). You still get their laptop, but you don't get their personal information without their login information.

Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#293

Post by [deleted] »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #286
DmitryO wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same way you cannot be sure that FBI is not criminals

It's a catchy meme for sure, but when people actually start to believe - like for real, not just the usual talking shit that passes for "conversation" with normal people - that law enforcement officers are worse thugs than regular thugs -- that's a fast way to turn into a failed state, where that actually is true. Causality here actually works both ways, because in free(ish) societies, law enforcement derives its aut…

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#294

Post by contrarian1234 »

cornholio wrote: post #45

Beyond the crypto architecture debate, I don't really understand how could anyone imagine a world where MS could just refuse such a request. How exactly would we draft laws to this effect, "the authorities can subpoena for any piece of evidence, except when complying to such a request might break the contractual obligations of a third party towards the suspect"? Do we really, really, fully understand the implications…

Have the recipient server be owned by a priest and API metadata that says it's a confession

Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#295

Post by [deleted] »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #286
DmitryO wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same way you cannot be sure that FBI is not criminals

It's a catchy meme for sure, but when people actually start to believe - like for real, not just the usual talking shit that passes for "conversation" with normal people - that law enforcement officers are worse thugs than regular thugs -- that's a fast way to turn into a failed state, where that actually is true. Causality here actually works both ways, because in free(ish) societies, law enforcement derives its aut…

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#296

Post by bigbadfeline »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #286
DmitryO wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same way you cannot be sure that FBI is not criminals

It's a catchy meme for sure, but when people actually start to believe - like for real, not just the usual talking shit that passes for "conversation" with normal people - that law enforcement officers are worse thugs than regular thugs -- that's a fast way to turn into a failed state, where that actually is true. Causality here actually works both ways, because in free(ish) societies, law enforcement derives its aut…

> when people actually start to believe... that law enforcement officers are worse thugs than regular thugs -- that's a fast way to turn into a failed state, where that actually is true.

It's quite clear that if law enforcement officers are indeed worse or just like regular thugs the failed state will soon materialize regardless of what people think about the issue.

Moreover, isn't the fastest way to a failed state to have people believe that their security agencies are good and proper when in reality they aren't? That kind of naivete is surely a lot worse than a bit of paranoia.

Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#297

Post by direwolf20 »

vardalab wrote: post #213
jmward01 wrote: post #162

Actual freedom starts with freedom of thought which requires spaces that you can truly believe are safe. The push for the surveillance world is rapidly eroding the places someone can not only be safe to think but feel safe to think in. The 'feel safe' is deeply important here. The arguments of 'if you have nothing to hide' do not make anyone feel safe, they do the opposite and they chill free thought. The second, ver…

Exactly! I agree about feeling free to think is important. I am a legal immigrant here on the green card, and I was randomly looking at my iCloud photos, and there were two of them where I was wearing a 2024 elections t-shirt of the losing side. The t-shirt was given to me as a gag gift, and I just had taken a picture of it to show it to the sender for giggles. Now looking at this old image. I had second thoughts. Wh…

You should definitely delete that image, as people have been denied entry or arrested at borders based on their social media history and pictures on their phone.

Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#298

Post by Forgeties79 »

15155 wrote: post #269
lqstuart wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don’t like the behavior of a company voluntarily doing something, your problem is with that company. If you don’t like a company complying with the law, your problem is with the law. It is unreasonable to expect anyone or any company to break the law or violate a court order to protect you. If you don’t trust the institutions issuing those court orders, that is an entirely reasonable stance but it should be ad…

The ideal is that they have no ability to comply or not comply: they shouldn't have the keys to begin with.

It is wild to me this has to be explained on HN

Re: Microsoft will give the FBI a Windows PC data encryption key if ordered

#300

Post by BigJono »

Jigsy wrote: post #157
cylemons wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surely that's not legal is it? Can the government force companies to include spyware?

That's one of the ideas the British government had a few months back...

It's been legal in Australia since 2018 and frustratingly nobody seems to give a shit except for yanks trying to point out any government's injustices other than their own.
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