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from the governments-are-above-mathematics dept.
The Guardian reports that an "Australian bill to create back door into encrypted apps [is] in 'advanced stages.'" The Australian government is pushing ahead with controversial legislation it says will create "back doors" into encrypted communication services – but still can't say when it will introduce the bill.
After originally aiming to have the legislation before parliament in the first quarter of this year, the government has delayed its introduction. A spokesman for the acting attorney general, Marise Payne, would only say it was in "the advanced stages of development".
[...] "If it is to proceed, Labor calls on the government to release an exposure draft of this legislation, to allow for proper consultation. This is important given the complexities around this novel area of lawmaking."
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John said the whole concept was laughable. "Once the government has a back door into encrypted devices and platforms, everybody has a back door into encrypted devices and platforms," he said.
"That has been proven over and over again. Once it is created, somebody gets in. I wouldn't trust a government that can't keep Medicare information protected to be inserting a back door into a tin shed.
"So I certainly wouldn't be trusting them to do something as serious as this."
(Score: 2, Informative) by dvdmeer on Friday April 13 2018, @04:54PM (4 children)
Since you can already get meta data (who contacted who and at what date/time) what extra information could the messages bring?
If I was a terrorist (which I am not) I would just come together with a few of my terrorist friends and decide on a code for communication.
e.g. The cow has left the barn. Don't forget to bring the milk.
Which could mean anything from "I got a nice cow and need some milk" to "let's blow up this and that building at some specific date/time".
The it doesn't matter if the platform is insecure or not.
So they probably need it to control the population. Like for example prevent protests agains goverment actions from happening or at least figure
out who are responsible for organizing at and the quietly make those people shut up.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday April 13 2018, @05:13PM (3 children)
Metadata is no good if you have a working onion routing scheme or if the people involved are not known to be "security threats".
We do a disservice by focusing on metadata too much. It's the contents that will have you hanged. And if messages can be broken into and scanned automatically, then you really will have to play code talker to get your point across secretly.
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(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 13 2018, @05:36PM (2 children)
Both can have you hanged depending on the circumstances and your government. Mass surveillance - whether it 'just' collects metadata or not - should be completely abolished.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday April 13 2018, @05:41PM (1 child)
Is it a crime to send a "Hello" message to a known terrorist?
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(Score: 5, Insightful) by Virindi on Friday April 13 2018, @06:15PM
It doesn't matter if it is a crime. Do you think these people care about due process?
If it convinces them, that is enough. They will find a way to ruin your life.