Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

KGB Wants Control of Email and VOIP

Posted by Soulskill on from the proactive-protest-stomping dept.

blair1q writes "The FSB (really just a rebadged KGB) is worried about the abilities that internet communications services such as Hotmail, Gmail, and Skype give to people they consider black-hats. In particular, they don't like the fact that these services allow encryption. They say they aren't going to seize or block them, yet, but are just 'studying' the situation, with an eye possibly toward implementing controls like those in China. Their increased interest in the tools may be related to a DDoS attack on Russian President Dmitri Medvedev's own LiveJournal account, which he termed 'revolting and illegal.'"

6 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. Join the club, comrade by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The U.S. government wants the exact same thing. I'm pretty sure that almost every government at this point wants *at least* a way to bypass encryption, a "kill switch" for the internet in their country, and some form of email monitoring (all these without any pesky warrants, of course). If your country is an exception, count yourself lucky.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:Join the club, comrade by houstonbofh · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If your country is an exception, count yourself lucky.

      Count yourself delusional, more like... But if they think they can actually pull this off, the KGB is delusional. Encryption is out of the bag. The software for VOIP and e-mail is wide open. (FOSS) All it will do is drive people from Skype to Jitsi. (Or similar)

    2. Re:Join the club, comrade by Riceballsan · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Ah but if it drives them to Jitsi or any alternatives, then that is a quick easy way to know who to flag as a terrorist. After all 90% of people won't be educated enough to know the difference if encryption is lost, so the 10% that switch, are the ones with something to hide.

    3. Re:Join the club, comrade by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The notion that people with nothing to hide shouldn't seek to preserve their privacy is one of many completely absurd beliefs anywhere, right up there with scientology. We give up too many rights because of ignorant points of view like this. The fact is, with no privacy at all, it would be a trivial matter to find something to put everyone away for. Go ahead, say you've never broken the law and gotten away with it. Make yourself a liar.

  2. Back in the USA by plawsy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And this is different from NSA, et al ... how?

    1. Re:Back in the USA by kvvbassboy · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's Russia, so it must be more sinister and evil.