Obama Joins Cameron in Calling for the End of Privacy

[oxymoronic]

The President's position is fractally wrong. There's so much wrong with it that its hard to know where to begin. As Masark mentions, backdoored security is no security at all. America has already had this debate back in the 90s, before coming to the conclusion that trying to fundamentally break encryption is stupid. Obama's comments presume that "terrorism" is a major threat when it really isn't, that such backdoors actually help in terror cases, that they won't be abused, that the government has the constitutional authority to mandate such backdoors, that people (particularly criminals) won't find "illegal" encryption anyways, and ignores the damage such standards would do to US communications companies global markets. And that's just off the top of my head at the end of a long day. This is likely the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard of coming out of Obama's lie-hole, and that's saying something. What a miserable, wretched, disgraceful waste of an office. While it won't be for this, I really, truly hope that SOB ends up squirming in front of the ICC someday in the not too distant future.

lmao i know somebody like you in real life. they are fun to talk too, problem is, its a waste of time as i never learn anything and they dont seem to soak shit in either. anti sponge i suppose, while i am a sponge for knowledge

[Merkava]

Basically. A cryptosystem with an intentional backdoor would be rendered utterly worthless as soon as some corrupt person sold the key to interested parties. You've got Snowdel et al releasing info out of conscience. How many more do you think would grab the key for money?



Yes, I have an issue with that. If you think the backdoor key would remain secure and not be rapidly stolen by someone and sold to organized crime, I have several bridges and swaths of oceanfront property to sell you.

Also, the judges in your nation seem to have little interest in actual standards of evidence. The fact the term "parallel construction" exists is evidence of this.

Yea, but I don't know how it's impacts the fourth amendment. You don't have a right to an encrypted device. What you have a right to, in my completely inexpert understanding, is the right the be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures.

[Bullettime]

The President's position is fractally wrong. There's so much wrong with it that its hard to know where to begin. As Masark mentions, backdoored security is no security at all. America has already had this debate back in the 90s, before coming to the conclusion that trying to fundamentally break encryption is stupid. Obama's comments presume that "terrorism" is a major threat when it really isn't, that such backdoors actually help in terror cases, that they won't be abused, that the government has the constitutional authority to mandate such backdoors, that people (particularly criminals) won't find "illegal" encryption anyways, and ignores the damage such standards would do to US communications companies global markets. And that's just off the top of my head at the end of a long day. This is likely the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard of coming out of Obama's lie-hole, and that's saying something. What a miserable, wretched, disgraceful waste of an office. While it won't be for this, I really, truly hope that SOB ends up squirming in front of the ICC someday in the not too distant future.

Tirade aside, it's another case of politicians wanting to pass legislature, if they had their way, on topics they actually don't have a clue about. So many of our politicians are totally clueless on computer systems and other modern technologies, nor do they have a firm grasp on reality if they don't think a program with an intentional backdoor wouldn't be exploited quickly.

[prwraith]

I'll go to jail for obstruction before I provide the decryption key for my hard drives

[prwraith]

That sounds reasonable.

Considering some of the things on my hard drive the maximum jail time for obstruction would be FAR preferable.

[Darkrulerxxx]

lmao i know somebody like you in real life. they are fun to talk too, problem is, its a waste of time as i never learn anything and they dont seem to soak shit in either. anti sponge i suppose, while i am a sponge for knowledge

all you keep doing in this thread so far is "your opinion is wrong, i follow the president's line of thinking, so you must be wrong" how very productive of you.

If shit like North Korea can supposedly hack into Sony and steal stuff, you honestly believe that such a valuable item such as a backdoor key to an encryption software would not be a high value target for hackers to steal?

you tell me if you are being the anti-sponge, because that's what its sounding like right now.

[Bullettime]

all you keep doing in this thread so far is "your opinion is wrong, i follow the president's line of thinking, so you must be wrong" how very productive of you.

If shit like North Korea and supposedly hack into Sony and steal stuff, you honestly believe that such a valuable item such as a backdoor key to an encryption software would not be a high value target for hackers to steal?

you tell me if you are being the anti-sponge, because that's what its sounding like right now.

It wouldn't even need to be stolen. Something of that high of value would be worth a lot of money and some corrupt asswipe would inevitably sell the "secrets" in no time. A master key for emergency cases sounds fine in theory but would be useless in practice as people are prone to being corrupted by money. It would be exploited so fast.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

End to privacy sounds more scary then these two leaders of the world intended or know.

[wowaccounttom]

there should be no communication that the government(s) should not be able to decrypt.

having said that, obviously the encryption mechanisms need to be changed as current encryption mechanisms in general are weak and easily broken into.

computers are getting to a point that can encrypt fast enough, so encrypting everything with multiple "small" keys should be no problem. As for the government, they ought to have 3 "large"... and by large i mean something over 4096 bit RSA since its already been made obsolete, default keys to provide them with backdoor access.

those 3 large keys should be changed by the vendors at regular intervals without letting any one party know all 3 keys in order to avoid leaked keys.



if someone needs to hide something that desperately, they most certainly should be investigated by the government... other than that, they dont have someone 24/7 trying to decrypt that one picture at church you sent your grandma, or my.. i mean your Hentai browsing history.

[BrerBear]

Which part of my statement is unrealistic?

The government has had encryption backdoors for many years. Surely you have an example of them being sold to organized crime by now. Otherwise, I am in the market for that cheap bridge you were offering.

[Fugus]

This is a very dumb move by the president. Encryption with a backdoor is no encryption, the previous poster who said this was 100% correct in quite the literal sense you think about this.

Just think about it, if it is known to have a backdoor, every single government on the planet will be looking for it as well as most hacker groups. Within short order, the scheme will be broke as it will have major pushers trying for it with major money and resources to throw at it.

So, first it will be limited encryption where some of the main ones you don't want looking at your stuff still has the key, then it turns into useless encryption where anyone who had the research budget to find it can read it, followed very shortly by no encryption since it was leaked online and I could now get a free program that decrypts it all anyways.

Edit: And the fact he is announcing it, you best bet more will be interested in finding that back door.

[prwraith]

If you want to beat children to death with a hammer, that's your prerogative, but I suggest you don't film it next time.

Not really But there is certainly enough on there to get me fined way worse than a year or two in prison would cost.

[Independent voter]

I doubt there's an actual back door. There are other ways to compromise encryption like sharing the key that was used so that the NSA can decrypt the encoded message much faster. Not sure how it works exactly, saw it on a science show.

[Fugus]

I doubt there's an actual back door. There are other ways to compromise encryption like sharing the key that was used so that the NSA can decrypt the encoded message much faster. Not sure how it works exactly, saw it on a science show.

Don't need a full on backdoor, just need a flaw in the encryption setup that vastly narrows the number of possible keys down to something that a supercomputer can do with ease.

The average computer wouldn't have the processing power to do it without pounding away at it for a month while they could have it within an hour.

[Kivimetsan]

Welcome 1984 everyone. We live in a constant state of war with an enemy we supported not a couple of years ago called the Free Syrian army and look at them now! Our governments strip every last right we have left in the name of protecting us from these terrorists we created in the name of democracy and freedom.

[Barnabas]

Tirade aside, it's another case of politicians wanting to pass legislature, if they had their way, on topics they actually don't have a clue about. So many of our politicians are totally clueless on computer systems and other modern technologies, nor do they have a firm grasp on reality if they don't think a program with an intentional backdoor wouldn't be exploited quickly.

Has little to do with them being idiots and more to do with wanting to continue easy law enforcement. All the other options available to build a criminal case are still there.

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Welcome 1984 everyone. We live in a constant state of war with an enemy we supported not a couple of years ago called the Free Syrian army and look at them now! Our governments strip every last right we have left in the name of protecting us from these terrorists we created in the name of democracy and freedom.

Yeah pretty much

[Chiquihuite]

there should be no communication that the government(s) should not be able to decrypt.

I'm sorry, but why is this? The government doesn't get to see inside my head, nor is it entitled to records of private communications I have with people face-to-face where they can't listen in. So why is it necessary that they be guaranteed access to my otherwise-private digital communications? Because fear? Because you're scared of the 0.0000001% chance that you could be killed in a terrorist attack?

Do you know how many terrorist attacks the NSA has thwarted with their snooping tactics so far, for all the mountains of our private data they've sifted through, and all the billions they've cost taxpayers? Zero. Know how many American lives they've saved? Zero. The whole program is a joke.

[Last Starfighter]

A backdoor is of far greater magnitude than a flaw.

Unless the backdoor key can be kept secure (and it can't), it render the cryptosystem broken as soon as it gets into the wild.

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Which part of my statement is unrealistic?

I just farted

Discuss

Infracted

[ringpriest]

Welcome 1984 everyone. We live in a constant state of war with an enemy we supported not a couple of years ago called the Free Syrian army and look at them now! Our governments strip every last right we have left in the name of protecting us from these terrorists we created in the name of democracy and freedom.

Exactly. The US somehow managed to stand up to the Soviet Union without all this insanity (and while spending less, in real, inflation-adjusted terms, on military and security), but now we all have to give up privacy because, "OMG! Terror!". Someone is certainly trying to scare the US public for political reasons, but I don't think its just Salafist fanatics in the Middle East....

[Deleted]

I support the goverment being able to read in everything I do as long as whatever they see is only used to fight said terrorism.

I got nothing to hide really.