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Non-US Encryption Is 'Theoretical', Claims CIA Chief In Backdoor Debate (theregister.co.uk)

Iain Thomson, writing for The Register: CIA director John Brennan told U.S. senators they shouldn't worry about mandatory encryption backdoors hurting American businesses. And that's because, according to Brennan, there's no one else for people to turn to: if they don't want to use U.S.-based technology because it's been forced to use weakened cryptography, they'll be out of luck because non-American solutions are simply "theoretical." Thus, the choice is American-built-and-backdoored or nothing, apparently. The spymaster made the remarks at a congressional hearing on Thursday after Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) questioned the CIA's support for weakening cryptography to allow g-men to peek at people's private communications and data. Brennan said this was needed to counter the ability of terrorists to coordinate their actions using encrypted communications. The director denied that forcing American companies to backdoor their security systems would cause any commercial problems.

5 of 312 comments (clear)

  1. Isn't GnuPG German? by HawkinsD · · Score: 4, Informative

    Hold up there a minute, Mr SpyMaster. I think GnuPG (open-source implementation of PGP) is German. Or at least: " g10code GmbH, the legal entity employing some of the GnuPG hackers" is German.

    My company has been using GnuPG for ten years.

    See https://gnupg.org/ .

    --
    Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by mere idiocy.
  2. AES is Belgian by chill · · Score: 4, Informative

    The name of the algorithm behind AES is Rijndael -- a combination of the names of the Belgian cryptographers who developed it.

    His utterings are in the running for either biggest lie of the year, or most ignorant.

    --
    Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
  3. Re:Lies from Spies by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 4, Informative

    Seriously why?

    I find that the Brits generally do a better job covering the US than the US news does.

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    Time to offend someone
  4. Re:The "response" should be an indictment. by mrchaotica · · Score: 4, Informative

    The two Senators from my state plus Ron Wyden got emails from me on this issue before I posted on Slashdot. What did you do about it, mister shit-talking anonymous coward?

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    "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  5. Re:Can't decide by compro01 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Not sure where you're getting Sweden from, as Daemen and Rijmen are from Belgium and work at a Belgian university.

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    upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time