When the FBI asks you to weaken your security so it can spy on your users

boing
1

[Permalink]

3 Likes
2

“Bend over, and drop your trousers”, I would say, “Tit for tat.”

4

Sure, if we could spy on the FBI, that would make it better… If secrecy is on the way out, what will these guys do?

Suggestion: retarget the FBI/CIA/NSA and other “cyber-war” groups on improving network security. Start with US, but everyone needs it.

I know this is kind of like having the Jehovah’s Witnesses delivering the mail, but it would at least be better PR.

Send the money to the groups doing good, useful security and share how they do it with businesses and the public.

5

“It was very clear that a backdoor for the good guys is always a backdoor for the bad guys.”

This, this, this, a thousand times this. If I had no other reason to reject this kind of blanket weakening of security, it would be this. I mean really, I’m sure only the right people will know about this secret door, right?

6

The best thing we can do is put tools like Wickr to use, and try to make them as commonplace as possible.

7

I’m more surprised about the “backing down” on the part of the FBI, and now I suspect Nico is on a special list. We live in a country where there is retribution for politicians not endorsing someone in elections, and these are people WITH power. Imagine those without. He should watch his back.

8

‘Only if you put a backdoor in… wait, what is the service you are providing to society?’

9

Unforfunately after all this history most security concious developers aren’t going to be trusting the NSA/etc… anymore when they say they’re trying to “help improve security” so that might not work out so well.

10

Be careful here. Someone recently leaked FBI/DEA document that said: “Apple’s iMessage encryption trips up feds’ surveillance” “even with a warrant”. And that apparently this was bullshit: Apple does not provide end-to-end encryption. They store your messages and it can be retrieved easily directly from Apple.

Private for-profit companies can always be bribed or forced to comply in secret courts, Lavabit case is a rare exception.

Way to go is to understand basics of encryption and use open source software (yes yes, I hear you, nothing is 100% secure but OSS is good enough to at least cripple and overcomplicate efforts of mass surveillance).

11

Did she actually confirm that he was in fact an FBI agent, as in, did he show her an official ID?

13

This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.