The FBI used to recommend encryption. Now they want to ban it.

[Nye Bevan]

Comey was back before Congress this week - this time in front of the House Appropriations Committee - imploring Congressmen to pass a law that would force tech companies to create a backdoor in any phone or communications tool that uses encryption.

....

The whole controversy stems from Apple’s decision to encrypt iPhones by default - so that only the user can unlock a phone with a pin or password and even Apple itself does not have the key. It was a huge step forward for security, and given that the US government considers cybersecurity attacks a more dire threat than terrorism, you’d think they’d be encouraging everyone to use more encryption. But Comey essentially argued to Congress that because encryption sometimes makes FBI investigations harder, it should be outlawed.

The idea that all of a sudden the FBI is “going dark” and won’t be able to investigate criminals anymore thanks to a tiny improvement of cell phone security is patently absurd. Even if the phone itself is protected by a passphrase that encrypts the device, the FBI can still go to telecom companies to get all the phone metadata they want. They can also still track anyone they choose by getting a cell phone’s location information 24 hours a day, and of course they can still wiretap the calls themselves. Let’s not forget that with a four digit passcode - like iPhones come with by default - can easily broken into by the FBI without anyone’s help anyways. So a vast majority of this debate is already moot.

.......

If you want to understand why encryption is important for protecting your data, look no further than the FBI’s own website. Well, at least you could until last week. For years, the FBI recommended people enable encryption on their phone to protect themselves against criminals, but at some point prior to Comey’s testimony, the FBI scrubbed that information from public view. (On 27 March the FBI told the National Journal that the security tips were not intentionally deleted, but “were because of the agency’s ongoing website redesign.”)

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/28/the-fbi-used-to-recommend-encryption-now-they-want-to-ban-it

[PowerToThePeople]

1. they can't.

The cat is out of the bag. Strong encryption is available, open surce, in countries that the fbi can not get to.

I remember after the patriot act was signed, an encryped network p2p program was developed. It was called the WASTE network. Something like this will be used by people who have any desire for privacy

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/WASTE

[Moliere]

2. They can criminalize the use of strong encryption

And just assume that if you're using it, you're doing something illegal- circumstantial evidence is good enough for them

[PowerToThePeople]

3. ya, guilty until proven innocent

"Please prove your innocence by decrypting all your data or off to jail for you."

I suspect that is unconstitutional, but we have shredded the constitution since * was selected.

[Savannahmann]

5. I'ts getting hard to blame Bush for this kind of thing isn't it?

I mean, it would be one thing if Democrats were taking action to roll back these abuses. It would be something to be proud of if our choice for FBI director was in front of Congress and talking about the importance of privacy and the protections guaranteed to the people by the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th Amendments.

No, it's our choice for FBI Director up telling Congress that it is vital that we do this or else the Criminals will become somehow uncatchable or something. A new breed of super criminals who are armed with unbreakable encryption and who never make phone calls, send emails, text messages, or hold meetings.

Yes, it's all Bush's fault, that meme allows us to continue abusing rights while we pretend to care about those rights being violated. We're powerless, the law that was passed under Bush, and recertified twice under President Obama gives us no choice. Or something.

[PowerToThePeople]

6. that was not my point

The abuses started with pnac's patriot act and continues to this day under a Democratic President.

[L0oniX]

8. +1

[NaturalHigh]

4. Oh no, nothing like that.

Encryption is still great. They just want to be able to read and decrypt your encrypted information. It's no big deal, really. We can trust them

[L0oniX]

7. Next: Making firewalls illegal. DUH

[PowerToThePeople]

9. set all incoming to DROP

They won't even know you are there. But you give up the ability to have a voice and publish on the internet. I guess that is what they want, just consumption without any input.