NSA Foils Much Internet Encryption

An anonymous reader writes "The New York Times is reporting that the NSA has 'has circumvented or cracked much of the encryption, or digital scrambling, that guards global commerce and banking systems, protects sensitive data like trade secrets and medical records, and automatically secures the e-mails, Web searches, Internet chats and phone calls of Americans and others around the world, the documents show. ... The agency, according to the documents and interviews with industry officials, deployed custom-built, superfast computers to break codes, and began collaborating with technology companies in the United States and abroad to build entry points into their products. The documents do not identify which companies have participated.'" You may prefer Pro Publica's non-paywalled version, instead, or The Guardian's.

Comments

Let us endeavour to create better encription

[ackthpt]

For awesome powa

Re:Let us endeavour to create better encription

[The Grim Reefer]

For awesome powa

Hasn't the majority of the internet already applied that twice?

Re:Let us endeavour to create better encription

[NettiWelho]

Hmm... I have a creeping feeling the NSA has already introduced a vulnerability into the rot13! If you click on encrypt twice the original contents are revealed!

Re:Let us endeavour to create better encription

[snowraver1]

You actually have to do it three times to be secure - like 3DES

Re:Let us endeavour to create better encription

[slashmydots]

Yes, rot13 is huuuuge lol. But for one way encryption similar to hashes, they just run it through Google translate to 5 different languages, at least one of which is asian-based and one of which is latin-based. Studies have shown that whole letters encrypted with 5-layer google translate method are impossible to return to its original form, making it vastly superior to MD5 and SHA256.

Re: Let us endeavour to create better encription

[flyingfsck]

You jest, but I have been wondering about adding a large block of urandom data at the bottom of each of my email messages, just to give the NSA grief.
***255DES*** =-w%(:RvO R-*_fTM)[=vz?"{|T***EOT***

Trojan

[Anonymous Coward]

So I'm left with the impression that the NSA will add features in return for improved access.

SELinux comes to mind as a gift from the NSA to the Linux community. A gift with a hidden payload.

Hmm.... We can call it Trojan Linux. Ribbed for your pleasure. The ultimate in back door penetration.

eveBot intercepts aliceCopter!

[Thud457]

surely there should be a ripe market niche for some smart geek to 3D print arduino-controlled quadcopters to facilitate key exchange. hmmmm... hold on, still a few bugs to be worked out...

Re: SSH?

[Anonymous Coward]

Welcome to the do not fly list.