FBI vs encryption on smartphones

As you know, in the latest versions of mobile operating systems-Android 5.0 and iOS 8 embedded data encryption by default. To remove information, now requires physical access to telephone and knowledge of the password.

 

The FBI is very unhappy, as did the developers of Apple and Google. Moreover, the Bureau believes such a position these companies are anti-social. FBI Director James Come (James B Comey) is trying to sway public opinion to their side. Enchanting performance Koumi took place on 16 October at the Brookings institution (Washington), one of the leading think tanks in the United States, which specializiruetsya in social science, municipal management, foreign policy and the global economy (transcript).

Introduction cryptography in iOS and Android has become the main theme of the speech of the Director of the FBI. He again repeated the main theses of his position.

Technology has become a tool in the hands of very dangerous people, says Come. Unfortunately, the laws lag behind technological advances, so law enforcement agencies are not always able to obtain the necessary evidence to prosecute criminals, and prevent terrorism. "We have a legal right to intercept and listen to communications and to obtain information by court order, but often lack the technical ability to do it."

The main obstacle in the fight against crime, in recent years, is more frequent encryption of data as real-time communications and information stored on the devices.

The FBI Director says that the last 20 years, it was much easier, and the security services had no problems getting access to all necessary information and tapped the suspects ' phones. Now the object of surveillance "jump" between different cellular networks and Wi-Fi, use a variety of applications, including VoIP devices on different platforms.

But worst of all, when used for cryptographic data protection. This completely undermines the work of the FBI. The situation is not saved by the fact that you can get data from cloud backup says Come because this backup does not contain all of the information of the user and the criminals and does not make backups.

Comi believes that Apple and Google encryption is a "marketing technique", but it has very serious consequences in real life, because it allows you to hide from the law important information and to avoid the punishment of criminals. "We need our private sector partners [Google and Apple] took a step back, took a break and considered the change of course."

The FBI Director recognizes that encryption is necessary: "It is necessary for the country, we need business." Just need to make sure that using legal procedure to any key. Come is "against backdoors", I propose instead to introduce "a transparent, clear procedure," which he calls "front door".

"We also need a regulatory or legislative acts to create equal conditions for all operators adhered to a single standard and to our representatives in law enforcement, national security and public safety can continue to do its job."

Perhaps the most emotional fragment of the whole extravaganza:

"I think it's time to ask: where are we, as a society? Maybe we have ceased to operate, the principle of the rule of law where nobody can put themselves above the law? Are we really so do not trust the government and law enforcement agencies that are willing to give freedom to criminals... willing to leave victims in search of justice?"

It Come caused a strong reaction on the Internet. For example, Daniel Bernstein from the University of Illinois made outstanding by its ironic presentation "Ensure that cryptography remained insecure," which brought a long history of implementation by the intelligence services backdoors in hardware, software, and cryptographic standards.

Independent security specialist Adam Caudill believes that the FBI is engaged in typical substitution of concepts. They're called backdoors a different name ("front door", in the terminology Komi) and refer to the protection of the public interest. Caudill confident that the FBI is preparing the ground for the adoption of the bill in the style of CALEA, which will give public services access to all user data, according to a court request or without it.

Do not stay aside and the electronic frontier Foundation. The Foundation's representatives said that the FBI is trying to convince people that "the possibility of some imagined security version, where the "good guys" can get a back door or extra key to your home, and the bad guys never use. Everyone with even a rudimentary understanding of security will tell you that it does not happen. So the "discussion" called for by Komi, phony, and we suspect that he knows it."

 

источник:habrahabr.ru

Source: /users/1077