Congress Considers Mandatory Crypto Backdoors

disappear writes: "Wired news reports that Congress is considering restrictions on crypto software in the wake of the terrorist attack. 'Nuff said." This will be the next battle -- especially in the wake of this week's tragedies, and the the allegations that the prime suspect Osama Bin Laden is a heavy crypto user. The battle of privacy and safety is going to begin in earnest now.

Comments

backdoor v2.0

[Anonymous Admin]

We can rest assured that all terrorists will promptly upgrade their crypto systems to use the backdoored versions. They are a patriotic and considerate bunch after all.

sheesh.

legislators.

Baron Harkonen and the Heart-plugs

[aminorex]

Illustrious Baron Harkonen today decreed that
all citizens will be equiped with remote-controlled
heart-plugs. This will make us all safe, because
only the loving Baron will have the transmitter,
and he will only use it to protect us.

Forget Crypto, how about KNIVES?

[Dr. Awktagon]

Did you know, you can walk into almost any store and buy a knife WITHOUT ANY BACKGROUND CHECK? They should at least check the buyer for dark hair and skin, the signs of a terrorist.
And I understand that plans to make knives are available on the internet? It used to be, only a skilled craftsman could make one, now any punk in his mom's basement can craft a steel blade capable of hijacking an airplane and crashing it into a building!

Re:Forget Crypto, how about KNIVES?

[Anonymous Coward]

so you mean that all non white people with non blonde hair are terrorists? I didn't know that. I guess I'll have to go kill myself to protect national security now.

Re:Forget Crypto, how about KNIVES?

[1010011010]

Well, and this is obvious, so please forgive me, it's because the hijackers strapped deadly crypto to themselves and threatened use it. *Of course* the Feds want to ban Crypto, and other sharp and/or explosive devices. They love us and want to protect us. This time.

They had better legislate tender steak too, because we'll all be eating with plastic spoons next.

Re:Forget Crypto, how about KNIVES?

[pete-classic]

Finally, someone understands.

I am trying to gain support to put together an organization I plan to call "Boxcutter Control, INC."

The role of the unregulated boxcutter supply has been downplayed for far to long. Perhaps the one good thing to come out of this tragedy will be that we will reach the long over due conclusion that there just isn't a place for private boxcutter ownership in our society.

I am also concerned about the baseball bat situation. Are you aware that in many areas a CHILD can purchase a THREE POUND baseball bat? There is NO purpose for such a heavy bat except for hitting things VERY hard. Now, I wouldn't interfere with people using a bat for sporting purposes, but they should be carefully regulated as well.

Sure, this might be inconvenient, but if just ONE CHILD is saved, won't it be worth it?

-Peter

I can see it now...

[de Selby]

Adobe puts a back door into it's ROT-13.

Re:Mixed feelings

[number one duck]

No, no, the funny thing to think about is all the terrorists going and *upgrading* their current encryption software because of a change in the word doc formats... inadvertently installing a backdoored compliant version. Microsoft will save the day, yet again!

New Hampshire State Motto

[aozilla]

In a floor speech on Thursday, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire) called for a global prohibition on encryption products without backdoors for government surveillance.

Interesting coming from a senator whose state motto is "Live free or die". Apparently he's following the "Give up freedom because of fear of death" version.

It just isn't going to happen.

[gd23ka]

Unknown Terrorist: "Hey Osama, I just installed
the latest version of..."
Osama: "Take this man outside and shoot him."

Humm, I have an Idea.

[BrookHarty]

If a backdoor crypto law is passed, wait till everyone is using it, then crack the keys.
Decrypt all congresses personal email, post those neat little secrets, post thier love letters, bank accounts.

I bet they pass a law banning backdoor crypto and encrease personal privacy laws.

-
Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear. - Harry S Truman (1884 - 1972), August 8, 1950

brilliant

[jarek]

Make backdoor into law, then Osama (or whoever) has to install crypto software with backdoor, CIA/FBI can listen in and know when the next attack is going down. That's brilliant. Why didn't we thinkt of it before.

information flow

[ejw]

I'm curious how much useful information could be gleaned by looking at the flow of say, email messages (or telephone calls, etc.), between two or more sources.

Using electronic surveillance to track the flow of electronic communications between a web of people would be almost as informative as knowing what they said: locations of servers used, telephone numbers dialed from, sender and reciever, length of message, frequency of messages, this could all be pretty good stuff.

This was raised in Stephenson's Cryptonomicon.

And if "bad guys" are using electronic communications, why not just shut them down? Cell phones stop working, email gets "lost", servers get hacked, ISPs get bombed (how hard would it be to sever small mountainous country "A"'s electronic access to the outside world?)

Unless you have the resources to run your own cable, you are really at the mercy of other corporations, who can be bullied, and can't hide in a cave in the hills.

Yeah, sure

[BattyMan]

And Osami Bin Laden is going to be a good boy and send his email using a code that the CIA/NSA/FBI has a backdoor into.