Posted on 10/20/2014 11:39:03 AM PDT by e-gadfly
Tech companies like Apple and Google want to make the data customers carry on their smartphones and computers more secure, safe from the prying eyes of spies and identity thieves alike. But law-enforcement officials--from the FBI to local police--see those same devices as treasure troves of evidence....
"I'd be surprised if more than a handful of members would support the idea of backdooring Americans' personal property," Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and vocal privacy advocate, said....
And a House Democratic aide said that staffers have been in touch with the FBI on the issue but that Congress is unlikely to force technology companies to build backdoors into their networks and devices anytime soon.
"I think the combination of business and civil-liberty concerns would have made this proposal difficult to adopt even before the Snowden disclosures," the aide said. "In the middle of a surveillance-reform fight, it's just that much more complicated."...
[T]he plan will face fierce resistance from tech companies and privacy advocates. They warn that any backdoor for law enforcement could also be exploited by hackers. Greg Nojeim, a senior counsel with the Center for Democracy and Technology, said he doubts Congress will enact legislation to make U.S. products less secure.
"Who in Europe is going to buy these newly compromised cell phones if Congress insists that they be made with backdoors for U.S. law enforcement?" Nojeim asked. "It's probably one of the worst job killers a member of Congress could propose."...
(Excerpt) Read more at nextgov.com ...
The federal government demanding backdoors to our systems is like demanding a key from everyone’s front door to their home just in case they need to enter the property.
THe real issue that we can use to keep this backdoor out is that other countries don’t trust our tech companies. Without trust they won’t buy. Companies like Cisco have already seen an impact.
It needs to be said that the integrated circuits powering these smart phones are possibly compromised.
The NSA does not run its own expensive chip fab as a hobby.
When sending/receiving encrypted data using a suspect device the only way to do it securely is by handling the encryption using a second, external device. In the case of a phone that could be a simple bluetooth device that is known to be secure and could be used to handle encrypted audio and data. If this practice is followed then it does not matter if the silicon in the phone has been tampered with.
There is a very large, untapped market for simple bluetooth encryption accessories. These could function with a desktop PC as well as smart phones. They could be placed inside of a snap-on case for a phone.
Fbi = out of control fascists.
Yet another reason to like what Snowden did. Don't have to like him or his motives, but the results have definitely been a win for Americans.
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