Monday, September 3, 2018

Spy Stuff: "Five Eyes to tech: We have ways of making you comply"

From The Register, Aug 31:

Spies still butthurt they can't get at encrypted comms data
The Five Eyes nations have told the tech industry to help spy agencies by creating lawful access solutions to encrypted services – and warned that governments can always legislate if they don't.
The UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - which have a long-standing intelligence agreement – met in Australia this week.

In an official communiqu̩ on the confab, they claim that their inability to lawfully access encrypted content risks undermining democratic justice systems Рand issue a veiled warning to industry.
The group is careful to avoid previous criticisms about their desire for backdoors and so-called magic thinking – saying that they have "no interest or intention to weaken encryption mechanisms" – and emphasise the importance of privacy laws.

But the thrust of a separate framework for their plans, the Statement of Principles on Access to Evidence and Encryption, will do little to persuade anyone that the agencies have changed their opinions.

"Privacy laws must prevent arbitrary or unlawful interference, but privacy is not absolute," the document stated....MUCH MORE