WASHINGTON–Gentlemen may not read each other’s mail, as Henry Stimson famously said so long ago, but in today’s world they certainly steal it and there’s precious little in the way of gentlemanly conduct happening in the realm of cyberespionage. It’s every man—or country—for himself in this environment, and that free-for-all is creating unforeseen consequences for […]
Tag Archives: Government
Obama Executive Order Forces Chip & Pin Payment on Government
The Obama administration has issued an executive order aimed at speeding up the adoption of chip and PIN or EMV payment systems here in the United States.
EFF, Snowden Dispute FBI Claims on Device Encryption
The FBI has long said that the use of strong encryption software hampers the bureau’s investigations and makes life easier for criminals. Current FBI Director James Comey continued this line of reasoning in a speech on Oct. 17, saying that the use of crypto could lead the country to a dark place, and the EFF […]
Mobile Device Encryption Could Lead to a ‘Very, Very Dark Place’, FBI Director Says
FBI Director James Comey said Thursday that the recent movement toward default encryption of smartphones and other devices could “lead us to a very, very dark place.” Echoing comments made by law enforcement officials for the last several decades, Comey said that the advanced cryptosystems available today threaten to cripple the ability of intelligence and law […]
EFF Launches New Anti-Surveillance Site
The EFF has launched a new site dedicated to educating users about how to resist pervasive surveillance online, through the promotion of encryption and other tools and the publication of first-person stories from people around the world who have fought surveillance in various ways. The new site, I Fight Surveillance, is designed to bring attention […]
Wyden: Surveillance is a ‘Clear and Present Danger’ to the Digital Economy
The pervasive dragnet surveillance of Americans revealed by the Edward Snowden documents has caused serious damage to the trust that enterprises and citizens had in the United States government and unless that trust is repaired, it could have serious effects on the Internet economy, a panel of prominent technology executives said. In a town hall meeting […]
Twitter Files Suit Over Government Restrictions on National Security Letter Data
Twitter has filed a lawsuit in federal court asking that the United States Department of Justice’s prohibitions on publishing the number and kind of government requests for data the company receives be declared unconstitutional. The suit claims that the rules infringe on Twitter’s right to free speech by requiring that the company “engage in speech […]
Experts Laud Changes to iPhone, Android Encryption
The changes that both Google and Apple have made to their mobile operating systems to encrypt the data on users’ devices have generated praise from the security and privacy communities and vitriol and criticism from the law enforcement and political worlds in equal measure.
DARPA Working on Provably Secure Embedded Software
DARPA is working on a new kind of software that is provably secure for specific properties.
FBI to Open Up Malware Investigator Portal to External Researchers
SEATTLE–The FBI has developed an internal malware-analysis tool, somewhat akin to the systems used by antimalware companies, and plans to open the system up to external security researchers, academics and others. The system is known as Malware Investigator and is designed to allow FBI agents and other authorized law enforcement users to upload suspicious files. […]