UK Is Banning Apple Watch From Cabinet Meetings Over Russian Hacking Fears (techweekeurope.co.uk)

Mickeycaskill quotes a report from TechWeekEurope UK: Ministers have been forbidden to wear the Apple Watch during cabinet meetings due to the risk they could be hacked by Russian agents, according to a report. Prime minister Theresa May imposed the new rules following several high-profile hacks that have been blamed on Russia. Several cabinet ministers previously wore the Apple Watch, including former Justice Secretary Michael Gove. Mobile phones have already been banned due to similar concerns. Politically motivated hackers have caused disruption in several recent incidents, including the hack of the Democratic National Committee, which resulted in the release of a large cache of internal emails. One of the paper's sources said: "The Russians are trying to hack everything."

Comments

Russia Playing Catch Up To Corporations

[rtb61]

So if Russia can hack into those meetings that would already imply that Apple could hack into those meetings but some how Apple being able to hack in, is OK but Russia is a no no. Could that be because Russia is having a fun time publishing the results of the hacks, whilst Apple keeps them secret and buys off the corrupt politicians they discover.

Any and all of the information, that can be hacked off those system by government agencies from any where in the world, obviously can be well and truly 'hacked' (hacked not quite the accurate word to reflect the purposeful design functions of that software), by the supplying corporation.

Take the stupid of politicians wanting to keep secrets by using public email accounts, seriously how could any one be that stupid, unless they had information from the corporation that their secrets would be kept, well, as long as they continued to accept money and toed the line.

Re:Russia Playing Catch Up To Corporations

[gdr]

She's a dictator because she wasn't elected, and she's a dictator because she's pursuing a set of policies for which there is no democratic mandate whatsoever.

May was elected by the Conservative MPs who in turn were elected by the people. That's how our parliamentary democracy works. You might as well call the President of the US a dictator because they are elected by the Electoral College rather than by the people directly.

It's not true that May is forcing through policies without a mandate, parliament will have to vote on any new legislation. It is true that Brexit was not in the Conservative manifesto, but holding a vote on Brexit and enacting the will of the people was. There is a clear mandate here, and not for "Brexit in name only" that the Remainers want (i.e. no end to free movement, remain subject to rulings of the ECJ, etc).

Also according to the latest opinion poll the Conservatives have a 17 point lead over Labour at the moment and would most likely at least triple their majority in the HoC if there was an early election.

In summary: you lost the referendum, May is here to stay whether you have an election or not, get over it.

Just an excuse.

[LTIfox]

Actually their primary concern is with NSA. Russian hacking is a good excuse for the ban: no need to explain to Americans why they don't trust them.

Look, over there!

[BlackSabbath]

I suspect, given PM May's well-documented willingness to trample on the privacy rights of her citizens, that the ban has more to do with prevention of any leaks a la Snowden. What is said in cabinet, stays in cabinet.

I'm reminded of that famous quote by Otto von Bismarck, "Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." We don't want the proles learning what we really think of them.

The Bear is Punctual .

[AHuxley]

Three UK politicians in jail get to talking.
"I am here because I always got to parliament five minutes late, and they charged me with expenses fraud," says the first.
"I am here because I kept getting to parliament five minutes early, and they charged me with spying for Russia," says the second.
"I am here because I got to parliament on time every day," says the third, "and they charged me with owning an Apple watch."

Re:Our dystopia

[matbury]

Do you mean East Anglia? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... :P

Pot meet kettle

[dargaud]

So, now that the pot has met the kettle, can those goons finally get their security agencies to actually do defence instead of offence ? By that I mean get the NSA, GCHC, etc to find vulnerabilities, yes, but actually use their clout to FORCE vendors to fix them (jailtime for root/root accounts on routers ?). And get ISPs to shut down the bots running on their networks. And shut down the spammers and malware peddlers that can't be that hard to find. It's for everyone's benefit, including those cabinet ministers who fear their watch...

What stops them after the meeting?

[Roger W Moore]

What is said in cabinet, stays in cabinet.

No it won't if their phone and/or watch has been hacked. This is an utterly stupid rule because if a minister's phone will really listen in to all s/he says then the moment s/he leaves cabinet and starts talking with his civil servants and MP colleagues to put what was discussed in place then whomever hacked the phone will hear the plans then. At best this puts a tiny extra hurdle in the way.

I suspect that what they are far more worried about is that someone in cabinet will record their discussions and leak it to the press, or worse the House of Commons. With all the Brexit negotiation preparations ramping up there are a lot of concerned MPs wanting to know details given all the talk of a 'hard' Brexit and a leak of something like that could be catastrophic for the government.

Michael Gove

[UberVegeta]

Several cabinet ministers previously wore the Apple Watch, including former Justice Secretary Michael Gove.

This ought to be enough to ensure no British politician ever wears an Apple Watch ever again.

For our friends around the world who aren't aware, Michael Gove has the unique distinction of pissing off literally everybody during the Brexit referendum. He told a bunch of lies while campaigning to leave, while supporting Boris Johnson as a potential future Prime Minister. After the vote he then stabbed Boris Johnson in the back by declaring his own intent to run for leadership which was never going to win popular support, even from Brexiteers. Add in that he profoundly unpopular in education and justice (he was minister for both) and you have an individual who makes a worrying ambassador for your brand.

You'd be better off with a celebrity endorsement from Ebola.

Re:Hand-waving hypocrites.

[BarbaraHudson]

Sorry that highly questionable claim about children in "food insecure households" even if true does not equal bread lines. Which were daily lines in the soviet union to obtain basic food stuffs. Even when adequate supplies existed the process and procedures to obtain the food items were inefficient and time consuming.

Go to your local food banks and you'll see the bread lines. Some distribute 1 or 2 days a week, some daily. Same as soup kitchens operate either a few days a week or daily. All depends on the resources available. Seniors are the most consistent users of food banks. And things have gotten worse since the study, which was done in 2010. Their food banks distributed more than 4 billion meals . And that doesn't count the food banks and soup kitchens that operate independently of Feed America. 46 million Americans depend on food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens.

This is common knowledge. Only someone who is willfully ignorant or is living in a bubble world doesn't know this. It's mentioned often on daytime TV, it's in the news (print, television, radio, internet). Go visit a food bank. There's one in almost every community in all 50 states.

Of if you're feeling lazy, just google for it.