2015-07-31

Crypto wars

Is the UK trying to ban iMessage, FaceTime, Whatsapp? Seems unclear - they make contradictory statements about encryption being important but also about needing access to communications. Let's try something simple - assume governments get some "back door keys" in there...

If a British citizen with an iPhone purchased in France and roaming in Germany iMessages a Chinese citizen roaming in Sweden using an iPhone purchased in Denmark, which government's keys need to be inserted in the iMessage communications by an American company (Apple) legally based in Luxembourg using servers hosted in Eire?

8 comments:

  1. What really needs to happen is one of the large tech companies needs to take a stand and refuse any backdoors.

    What's Europe really going to do stop them selling into Europe yeh I'd like to see what would happen then if the EU tried to ban iPhones or disallowed the use of windows, the collateral damage would be to high

    Sadly they won't because they're to worried about profits rather than doing the right thing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Europe is fine with strong crypto. Indeed, one big reason to want to leave the EU is that the EU wouldn't let us insist that all crypto is backdoored. That sort of interference with Cameron's sovereignty is clearly unreasonable.

      Delete
  2. We might not need to ban iPhones if the US forces Apple to knobble them:

    https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/07/30/obama-administration-war-apple-google-just-got-uglier/

    ReplyDelete
  3. The problem is the decision are made by politician that are clueless on the technology and based not on facts but on tabloids front page, just like immigration or drug policies (the psycho active ban is as ridiculous and unenforceable as web censorship or encryption ban).
    No interest on effect on people just on their perceived opinion impact (which might differ from more serious opinion polls).

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's tempting to send a message to my MP (Conservative) posing Adrian's question!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, it would be so cool if asked at PMs questions or some such in the house.

      Delete
  5. How is this idea of giving out the keys to the police is working with rekeying? I mean systems like WPA enterprise change keys all the time, there is just a first key to bootstrap the process, but afterwards, the key is thrown out and rekeying is happening.

    ReplyDelete

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