FBI boss 'concerned' by smartphone encryption plans

Discussion in 'privacy general' started by lotuseclat79, Sep 26, 2014.

  1. lotuseclat79

    lotuseclat79 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2005
    Posts:
    5,390
  2. hawki

    hawki Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2008
    Posts:
    6,065
    Location:
    DC Metro Area
    "Mr Comey said he was "very concerned" about these plans because of what they would allow people to do.

    "What concerns me about this is companies marketing something expressly to allow people to place themselves beyond the law," he said.
    "I am a huge believer in the rule of law, but I am also a believer that no-one in this country is beyond the law," he added."

    Does that apply to the CIA and NSA too??

    http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29378172
     
  3. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2011
    Posts:
    9,252
    They're more like orthogonal to the law, I think ;)
     
  4. Veeshush

    Veeshush Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2014
    Posts:
    643
    And I'm sure Mr Comey would never use encryption on his own devices, or those of his own family members. :rolleyes: And this surely wouldn't help protect those from identity theft or having their privacy violated in the more common, real world, everyday example of, oh, I don't know, having your phone stolen or lost.
     
  5. Veeshush

    Veeshush Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2014
    Posts:
    643
    EFF:

    https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/10/eight-epic-failures-regulating-cryptography
     
  6. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2013
    Posts:
    1,832
    Location:
    UK
    Chickens coming home to roost.

    If they hadn't conducted such a foolish, secretive, unconstitutional, against rule-of-law mass surveillance in the first place, there wouldn't be such a demand for this. I'd quite like them attempt to strong-arm Apple and Google, because it would encourage other services and vendors outside their control.

    As for "Lives could depend" soundbites, his pronouncements continue to be evidence-free and self-serving. But they don't count the cost, we bear it.
     
  7. clubhouse1

    clubhouse1 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2013
    Posts:
    1,124
    Location:
    UK
    The FBI giving a false sense of security more like.
     
  8. TheWindBringeth

    TheWindBringeth Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2012
    Posts:
    2,171
    U.S. Law Enforcement Seeks to Halt Apple-Google Encryption of Mobile Data
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...erse-apple-android-data-locking-decision.html
    In the year 201X, it is a crime to manufacture any products which implement encryption that can't be bypassed by the manufacturer?
     
  9. hawki

    hawki Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2008
    Posts:
    6,065
    Location:
    DC Metro Area
    Don't let the door hit you on the way out!!!

    "Attorney General: Device Backdoors Should Be Left Open for the Police

    The Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. spoke out yesterday about backdoors in consumer technology, claiming that they should be left open by technology firms so that law enforcement officials are never locked out during important investigations."

    http://gizmodo.com/attorney-general-device-backdoors-should-be-left-open-1641105603
     
  10. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2013
    Posts:
    1,832
    Location:
    UK
    What's worse with the Holder statement is he's using child protection as the justification. Our children will never be safe unless you let us operate illegally and unconstitutionally.
     
  11. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2007
    Posts:
    1,812
    This is all BS. He knows full well Apple and Google will leave back doors for the NSA and law enforcement just like all the other tech giants have been doing for years but by feigning concern it helps make the public believe the encryption must be real.
     
  12. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2011
    Posts:
    9,252
    Yes, backups on iCloud are not encrypted. Either FBI management is clueless, or this is total FUD. Maybe both ;)
     
  13. lotuseclat79

    lotuseclat79 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2005
    Posts:
    5,390
    The Washington Post weighs in with Compromise needed on smartphone encryption.

    -- Tom
     
  14. Countryboy15

    Countryboy15 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Posts:
    82
    Technology, privacy and law have been colliding since the first human decided he or she did not like a law and found a way around it. It will be like this until we all die out or we go into "Mad Max" mode out of necessity. The FBI is not that dense, and Google and Apple are not that stupid. The FBI is arguably becoming the more powerful of the three-letter groups, and Google and Apple both know they have to bend unless they want to lose a lot of clout and face a lot more hassles when they want to do something. Both sides are just making these public comments to avoid being burned at the stake of public and advocacy group opinion. Neither side should be fooling anyone, but they are unfortunately.
     
  15. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2011
    Posts:
    9,252
    So, are these commentators clueless or malicious? That is, do they get that iCloud isn't encrypted with keys that only users have?
     
  16. Countryboy15

    Countryboy15 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Posts:
    82
    The media is almost always clueless, and that is when they are not intentionally misleading if not, as you say, downright malicious. They just talk so they can get eyeballs.
     
  17. lotuseclat79

    lotuseclat79 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2005
    Posts:
    5,390
    The Washington Post Wants Google to Invent a "Secure Golden Key".

    -- Tom
     
  18. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2013
    Posts:
    1,832
    Location:
    UK
    You mean you don't believe in the Philosopher's Stone and the Encryption Fairy?

    I love this stuff, because regardless of what they manage to convince Jo Public about, there are savvy people in global businesses who are now better aware of the corruption, and this will encourage the development of more secure products and services outside their control. I realise that many global businesses are integral to the corruption of course.
     
  19. MrBrian

    MrBrian Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2008
    Posts:
    6,032
    Location:
    USA
  20. emmjay

    emmjay Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2010
    Posts:
    1,540
    Location:
    Triassic
    Good discussion. You can not rely on big media to produce an unbiased account on this subject as they do not report the news, they shape it. Today many activists are paid by an interest group or government to pretend that they represent the moral or ethical aspect of a situation. This plays well with those who think all activists are well informed and right. They seldom are. It is obvious that big business have a game plan as they know that the Public is POd with spying (from them and the govt.). To manipulate opinion in their favor and to lessen any backlash, they feign outrage followed by regret. The law made them do it.
     
  21. Nebulus

    Nebulus Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2007
    Posts:
    1,635
    Location:
    European Union
    Using Hanlon's razor, we can presume that they are cluless :)
     
  22. lotuseclat79

    lotuseclat79 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2005
    Posts:
    5,390
    Nice one Nebulus! :)

    -- Tom
     
  23. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2011
    Posts:
    9,252
    But Hanlon's razor can be gamed, no?
     
  24. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2014
    Posts:
    14,881
    Location:
    Slovenia, EU
  25. Dermot7

    Dermot7 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2009
    Posts:
    3,430
    Location:
    Surrey, England.
    FBI boss: We don't want a backdoor, we want the front door to your phone • The Register

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/16/us-usa-justice-surveillance-idUSKCN0I526N20141016
     
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2014
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.