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British Police Demand Access To Encryption Keys

Posted by Zonk on from the among-other-things dept.

flip-flop writes "In the wake of recent terrorist attacks, police here in the UK have asked for sweeping new powers they claim will help them counter the threat. Among these is making it a criminal offense for people to refuse disclosing their encryption keys when the police want to access someone's files." From the article: "The most controversial of the police proposals is the demand to be able to hold without charge a terrorist suspect for three months instead of 14 days. An Acpo spokesman said the complexity and scale of counter-terrorist operations means the 14-day maximum is often insufficient."

7 of 814 comments (clear)

  1. Encryption key by bigwavejas · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure, you can have my encryption key. Here it is:
    01100110 01110101 01100011 01101011 00100000 01101111 01100110 01100110

    --
    "Simplify, simplify, simplify!" Thoreau
    1. Re:Encryption key by randm.ca · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's amazing, I've got the same combination on my luggage!

  2. DeCSS by Henry+V+.009 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I use CSS encryption for all my privacy needs. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that it would be illegal for me to provide you the software code that breaks it.

    1. Re:DeCSS by logic+hack · · Score: 4, Funny

      When I want to break CSS I just view the document in IE.

  3. Re:Guantanamo Bay? by SeanTobin · · Score: 4, Funny
    umm, Guantanamo Bay?
    Yeah.... sorry about that one.
    There is at least one additional rule that goes along with innocent until proven guilty. It's guilty until proven American.
    --
    Karma: SELECT `karma` FROM `users` WHERE `userid`=138474;
  4. Won't be long now by Slightly+Askew · · Score: 5, Funny

    Uniting the Kingdom by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism

    --
    Public use of any portable music system is a virtually guaranteed indicator of sociopathic tendencies. -- Zoso
  5. Incrimination for fun and profit... by SpecBear · · Score: 4, Funny
    1. Wait for Annoying Coworker (AC) to leave desk
    2. Place encrypted file PlansToBlowUpParliament.zip on AC's computer.
    3. Report AC to authorities.
    4. Authorities ask AC for password, but of course he can't give it.
    5. Authorities can't verify the contents of the file, so they can't charge him with a crime. Without revealing the contents of the file, AC can't prove his innocence. AC rots in jail for three months without charges filed against him.
    6. AC loses his job while imprisoned, you loot his cubicle for snacks.
    7. Profit!

    For bonus points, see if you can get the file onto the hard drive of some politician you hate.