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Australia's promised “not-a-backdoor” crypto-busting bill is out and the government has kept its word - it doesn't want a backdoor, just the keys to your front one.
The draft of The Assistance and Access Bill 2018 calls for anyone using or selling communications services in Australia will be subject to police orders for access to private data.
That includes all vendors of computers, phones, apps, social media and cloud services in the Lucky Country, and anyone within national borders using them. These data-tapping orders will be enforced with fines of up to AU$10m (US$7.3m) for companies or $50,000 ($36,368) for individuals
The draft legislation also wants five years in prison for anyone who reveals a data-slurping investigation is going on. And while there's no explicit encryption backdoor requirements in the 110 page draft bill, our first look suggests there doesn't need to be.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @07:52PM (7 children)
Australia's promised “not-a-backdoor” crypto-busting bill is out and the government has kept its word - it doesn't want a backdoor, just the keys to your front one.
Moral of the story: don't do business with any country whose government that requires this. At least until a critical mass do, this is about the only way to counter this. Once they all get together and do this we're screwed, at which point the business model will change from "do legitimate business with X" to "exploit government mandated front/back door requirement for profit." Which again suggests the most sensible course of action for anyone not on the criminal side of things is exactly what I led with:
Don't do business with any country whose regime requires this.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Mykl on Tuesday August 14 2018, @11:48PM (4 children)
I'm not worried yet. The moment Apple tells the Government that they won't be complying, and would have to pull out of the country, will be the moment the politicians realise they would be voted into oblivion and the plan is DOA.
(Score: 2) by fido_dogstoyevsky on Wednesday August 15 2018, @03:20AM
...will be the moment I have to decide whether I want the Coalition (of the right Liberal and far right National parties) less than I want Apple.
It's NOT a conspiracy... it's a plot.
(Score: 1) by pD-brane on Wednesday August 15 2018, @09:35AM
We can keep on using secure encryption for the wrong reasons.
But at least we can keep on using secure encryption.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Wednesday August 15 2018, @07:02PM (1 child)
...wouldn't not selling in the U.S. also deal a massive blow to Apple's profits? Bit of a vacuous truth [wikipedia.org] argument.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 20 2018, @02:07AM
This story isn't about the U.S. It's about Australia.
(Score: 3, Funny) by driverless on Wednesday August 15 2018, @12:41AM
The Aussie politicians must be quoting that great Australian poet A.Young:
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 15 2018, @02:57PM
The problem is widespread, for example:
Encryption impacts at least nine out of every ten of ASIO’s priority cases.
Over 90 per cent of data being lawfully intercepted by the AFP now use some form of encryption.
Effectively all communications among terrorists and organised crime groups are expected to be encrypted by 2020.
OMG! Actual detective work may be required! Who knew?