Slashdot Mirror
Will Security Firms Detect Police Spyware?
cnet-declan writes "A recent appeals court case dealt with Drug Enforcement Administration agents using a key logger to investigate a suspect using PGP and Hushmail. That invites the obvious question: Will security companies ever intentionally overlook police spyware? There were somewhat-muddled reports in 2001 that Symantec and McAfee would do just that, so over at News.com we figured we'd do a survey of the top 13 security firms. We asked them if it is their policy to detect policeware. Notably, Check Point said it would 'afford law enforcement' the courtesy of whitelisting if requested. We've also posted the full results, with the companies' complete answers. Another question we asked is if they have ever received a court order requiring them to overlook police key loggers or spyware. Symantec, IBM, Kaspersky, and others said no. Only Microsoft and McAfee refused to answer."
"We keep gleefully throwing away our rights in the name of what? Fear? That's bad rationale. Our founding fathers must be turning in their graves."
I'd like to know what rights you think have been thrown away? I think our founding fathers would be amazed that what they started has lasted so long, and longer than any other current government.
The NSA phone taps is probably what you are talking about, so I'm going to troll there. First, I'll concede the point that phone conversations are property and that making a copy of such can be considered seizure of said property. Now that that is out of the way, the NSA phone taps cover phone conversations between this country and another. The property in this case crosses our national border. It is 100% legal for the government to seize and search property at the border without the need for a search warrant. Always has been. So, no rights have been given up or forfeited.
There, feel better?