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Italian Phone Taps Spur Encryption Use

Posted by kdawson on from the what-is-the-frequency-kenneth dept.

manekineko2 writes "This article in the NYTimes discusses how a recent rash of high-profile mobile phone taps in Italy is spurring a rush toward software-encrypted phone conversations. Private conversations have been tapped and subsequently leaked to the media and have resulted in disclosures of sensitive takeover discussions, revelations regarding game-fixing in soccer, and the arrest of a prince on charges of providing prostitutes and illegal slot machines. An Italian investigative reporter stated that no one would ever discuss sensitive information on the phone now. As a result, encryption software for mobile phones has moved from the government and military worlds into the mainstream. Are GSM phones in the US ripe for a similar explosion in the use of freely available wiretapping technology, and could this finally be the impetus to for widespread use of software-encrypted communications?"

3 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Not Gonna Happen in US by gambit3 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Quite simply, one of two things would prevent encrypted cell phones from becoming successful in the US:

    1. The government would simply make it illegal (don't want to give the terrorists any new tools).

    2. The government would require a backdoor be built in by manufacturers, defeating the purpose.

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    Watch the Teaser Trailer for "The Lightning Thief" Her
  2. Re:Your parent is talking about the issue of trust by jrumney · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Clearly you don't want a central agent (like a CA) be in control of trust, because the problem here is the central control over encryption in the 1st place.

    A CA is not in central control over encryption. They are only in control of authenticating keys. The only way they can subvert the encryption process is to issue matching (in details, but not in keys) certificates to you and the man in the middle. If they were to do this, it would be detected quickly, and their reputation as a trusted CA would suffer.

  3. Re:Italy & US by el_flynn · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Even the NSA doesn't have enough computing power to decrypt THAT

    Yes, of course. Until you realize, at the end of the conversation, that the NSA's already bugged the room you're talking in.

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