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Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

nytimes.com

71–80 of 90 posts

Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#71
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had the same thought. If we allow upper, lower, and digits, that's 26+26+10 = 62 possible characters per space. With six spaces, that gives 62^6 = 56,800,235,584 possible passwords. Now if we take their figure of 5.5 years to crack a phone's files and divide, we get 327 seconds (more than 5 minutes ) per password they check. Something is off, though perhaps it's my math so please do double check it for me. Edit: Ar…

6 randomly selected characters out of the 62 available gives less than 36 bits of entropy, which anyone with even a passing interest in any kind of cryptography will instantly recognise as pretty poor. This issue is compounded by the fact that humans are notoriously bad at randomness. I really don't think many users will be typing the 22 random characters required for just over 128 bits of entropy every time they wan…

In reality they lift your prints from the phone, fool the lock sensor, then clone it to a new, bugged phone, and monitor all your communications.

But frankly, such scenarios are not privacy concerns unless you're actually trying to carry out crimes because at that point you've got a half-dozen or more government agents assigned to personally follow you.

Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#72

The most important takeaway of the "post-Snowden Era" is that both companies and the government lie. Apple now is in the damage control mode, trying to undo the massive credibility hit dealt by Snowden revelations. But since they were in bed with the NSA for several years prior, I really doubt they have an option of divorce. If they were strong-armed into cooperation before, it'd be foolish to assume that they can ge…

>Apple now is in the damage control mode, trying to undo the massive credibility hit dealt by Snowden

Is this supposed to be a joke?

Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#73
You would have to be very gullible to believe this show, I would not be surprised if this is done in cooperation with the government. They want you to use propitiatory software and own personal surveillance devices such as phones and Apple wants to sell your their product. They both would win from such a scenario. I do not buy it, the least I can do for Snowden is to be very skeptical.

Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You mean accurate right, because it's accurate.

> It is as if the communication couldn't be monitored. It's not like the phone conjures the images from thin air You just contradicted yourself. If the communication can't be monitored, then the phone may as well be conjuring images from the air as you have no way to know what they are, where they come from, where they are being sent.

[deleted]

Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#75
post #9

This makes me extraordinarily happy, perhaps this is the first major step in the struggle against government spying on innocent citizens? On another note, is anyone disturbed by how even the idea of people being able to store their private data securely being seen as inherently criminal by high level officials? What does that say about these people in power, they literally view your right to privacy as dangerous. Sic…

> What does that say about these people in power, they literally view your right to privacy as dangerous. Sickening Your right to privacy is dangerous. Imagine trying to investigate a murder with unlimited privacy. Unless someone saw the killer kill, you've no chance.

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Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#76

The most important takeaway of the "post-Snowden Era" is that both companies and the government lie. Apple now is in the damage control mode, trying to undo the massive credibility hit dealt by Snowden revelations. But since they were in bed with the NSA for several years prior, I really doubt they have an option of divorce. If they were strong-armed into cooperation before, it'd be foolish to assume that they can ge…

If so, it will eventually come out, and then Apple will have lost all credibility on the matter.

Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#78
post #12

Locking out intrusion is a huge value proposal for cellular manufacturers. I wonder why encrypted conversations are not already norm.

It's only of value if the customers expect to be spied on, and then only if they care about it.

Edit: Somehow this comment got duplicated.

Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#79
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The state and its avatars must recognize that it cannot and must not have the ability to exercise absolute power over citizen's thoughts, computations, and communications if it wishes to foster a healthy and free society This sounds lovely, except it's just absolute nonsense. For many thousands of years states have maintained the power to restrict citizens communications and almost since the invention of the telegr…

We are not freer than ever. The ability to make fundamental change in our political systems is more contained to a narrow and doomed range near the status quo than ever. "Anarchy." You keep using that word. You are equating the potential for absolute privacy in communication with "anarchy." Do you have an explanation for how that is the vanguard of anarchy? Freedom: Supposedly enlightened places like the US are gover…

It is an interesting and revealing quirk, though, to equate privacy with the abolishment of the State.

Re: Signaling Post-Snowden Era, New iPhone Locks Out N.S.A

#80
Apple's position here is that my private iPhone data belongs to me. If the government suspects me of criminal behavior, the search warrant should be directed at me, not Apple. I'm not a lawyer, but I think this makes perfect sense.

The next logical step is for Apple to encrypt my private iCloud data as well, and protect it from anyone except me (not sure if the technology exists to do this yet.)

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