registerme
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Post by registerme on May 24, 2023 7:51:23 GMT
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on May 24, 2023 8:07:26 GMT
Back in the 90s, when encryption was young and topical, the US NSA decided they didn't like exporting it, as it was a weapon. I worked for Lotus. Notes used 64-bit public-private key encryption. For export versions of the software, 40-bit was the legal maximum, as it was technically feasible to decrypt that depth of security, but not 64-bit. The solution was 40/64 escrow. 24 of the 64 bits were "known" to the NSA. www.cypherspace.org/adam/hacks/lotus-nsa-key.htmlThe Online Safety Bill would make even that compromise illegal. End-to-end encryption would be illegal. Services offering consumer-level encryption would be required to be able to decrypt every message. |
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registerme
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Post by registerme on May 24, 2023 8:34:23 GMT
Back in the 90s, when encryption was young and topical, the US NSA decided they didn't like exporting it, as it was a weapon. iirc that lasted until people started getting T-shirts made with the algorithm printed on the front.
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on May 24, 2023 8:39:14 GMT
Back in the 90s, when encryption was young and topical, the US NSA decided they didn't like exporting it, as it was a weapon. iirc that lasted until people started getting T-shirts made with the algorithm printed on the front. That goes back even further, to Zimmermann's PGP
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registerme
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Post by registerme on May 24, 2023 12:40:57 GMT
Well, I've just written to my MP about it (not that I expect it to make one jot of a difference, still...).
"Hi MP,
I am increasingly concerned about the government's proposed "Online Safety Bill". Whilst I, and every other sensible person, wants to protect children and eg prevent extremists from carrying out an atrocity, the idea of installing "scanning software" on "every device" to do an end-run around messaging encryption seems to be wholly disproportionate.
1. Any such software is open to abuse (particularly in the case of a government shifting to the right and becoming increasingly authoritarian).
2. Any such software, by its very nature, adds to device vulnerability by increasing the attack surface area (therefore putting the entire nation at risk).
3. Proposing to install such software on what, thirty or forty million mobile phones (And tablets? And PCs? And Smart Speakers? Where does it end?) strikes me as disproportionate and inappropriate, especially in light of the government's woeful record on IT projects in general - witness the COVID tracker debacle...).
4. Wouldn't the political and financial capital required be far better invested in... the Met, or social services, or schools?
Why is Labour so quiet on this subject?
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
Yours sincerely,
RM"
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Steerpike
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Post by Steerpike on May 24, 2023 13:06:56 GMT
Well, I've just written to my MP about it (not that I expect it to make one jot of a difference, still...). ... 1. Any such software is open to abuse (particularly in the case of a government shifting to the right and becoming increasingly authoritarian). ... Yours sincerely, RM" The Extreme Right Wing CCP being a prime example.
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registerme
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Post by registerme on May 24, 2023 13:20:45 GMT
Well, I've just written to my MP about it (not that I expect it to make one jot of a difference, still...). ... 1. Any such software is open to abuse (particularly in the case of a government shifting to the right and becoming increasingly authoritarian). ... Yours sincerely, RM" The Extreme Right Wing CCP being a prime example. Absolutely. If I wanted to live under a regime like that I'd move to Shanghai.
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ozboy
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Post by ozboy on May 24, 2023 17:01:30 GMT
"1. Any such software is open to abuse (particularly in the case of a government shifting to the right and becoming increasingly authoritarian)."Why single out The Right? I am FAR more concerned about a government shifting to The Rabid Left, they wouldn't waste time to "become increasingly authoritarian", they'd do it overnight!IMHO. 
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registerme
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Post by registerme on May 24, 2023 17:56:35 GMT
"1. Any such software is open to abuse (particularly in the case of a government shifting to the right and becoming increasingly authoritarian)."Why single out The Right? I am FAR more concerned about a government shifting to The Rabid Left, they wouldn't waste time to "become increasingly authoritarian", they'd do it overnight!IMHO.
I agree. I emphasised "right" there simply because the current incumbents are right wing (and becoming increasing authoritarian). You'll also have noticed that I asked my MP (who's Labour), why Labour weren't challenging it...
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keitha
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Post by keitha on May 24, 2023 20:00:54 GMT
One wonders what would happen if Apple refused to allow it in the store, or some software vendors say if you have this on our software won't work
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ilmoro
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Post by ilmoro on May 24, 2023 20:47:36 GMT
One wonders what would happen if Apple refused to allow it in the store, or some software vendors say if you have this on our software won't work According to the article in the OP, Apple have already developed it and its part of the EU legislation as well (which might explain the lack of Labour fuss)
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registerme
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Post by registerme on May 24, 2023 21:31:22 GMT
One wonders what would happen if Apple refused to allow it in the store, or some software vendors say if you have this on our software won't work According to the article in the OP, Apple have already developed it and its part of the EU legislation as well (which might explain the lack of Labour fuss) "The" article? Sorry, probably being dumb, but I linked to a search, not a specific article. So I'm curious (plus I'm on Android, not iOS). Ta  .
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on May 24, 2023 21:34:57 GMT
"1. Any such software is open to abuse (particularly in the case of a government shifting to the right and becoming increasingly authoritarian)."Why single out The Right? I am FAR more concerned about a government shifting to The Rabid Left, they wouldn't waste time to "become increasingly authoritarian", they'd do it overnight!IMHO.
I agree. I emphasised "right" there simply because the current incumbents are right wing (and becoming increasing authoritarian). You'll also have noticed that I asked my MP (who's Labour), why Labour weren't challenging it... Is or was ? 
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ilmoro
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Post by ilmoro on May 24, 2023 21:44:35 GMT
According to the article in the OP, Apple have already developed it and its part of the EU legislation as well (which might explain the lack of Labour fuss) "The" article? Sorry, probably being dumb, but I linked to a search, not a specific article. So I'm curious (plus I'm on Android, not iOS). Ta . Oh, as it was top of the search & the basis for some of the others assumed that was the idea. www.imperial.ac.uk/news/244952/tech-mandated-online-safety-bill-could/amp/
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registerme
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Post by registerme on May 24, 2023 22:11:26 GMT
Thanks. And no, no intent there on my part. I'd done a bunch of inconclusive reading (and listening to Tom Tugenhadt on R4 this morning, somebody I normally rate higher than the rest of the current Tory crop) and thought... "nah, this fails the sniff test". Didn't have time to put anything coherent together so just posted the search results for anybody else who was interested enough to take a look.
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