On-line security and privacy

[skieur]

Both have been almost wiped out by technology. Quantum computers that handle in 2 seconds what takes 30 years for most of today's computers have recently be developed and are on the market to very large organizations that can afford them such as Google. This means that info. can be found in absolutely huge databases almost instantly and that includes personal information of millions of people.

A lot of encryption modes such as SSL, 128 bit, and all the open source codes have been broken because the new computers have the speed to do it, so the Internet has become a public place even for private email. Perhaps the most public places on the net are the social networks, whether you have used any privacy choices or not.

In Canada last year a woman was put on the no fly list because of medical information that the border people had access to. One must wonder what other medical and/or apparently harmless info. can have negative consequences for someone because it is on a computer and privacy is ignored and non-existent.

 

[The_Traveler]

Both have been almost wiped out by technology. Quantum computers that handle in 2 seconds what takes 30 years for most of today's computers have recently be developed and are on the market to very large organizations that can afford them such as Google. This means that info. can be found in absolutely huge databases almost instantly and that includes personal information of millions of people.

A lot of encryption modes such as SSL, 128 bit, and all the open source codes have been broken because the new computers have the speed to do it, so the Internet has become a public place even for private email. Perhaps the most public places on the net are the social networks, whether you have used any privacy choices or not.

In Canada last year a woman was put on the no fly list because of medical information that the border people had access to. One must wonder what other medical and/or apparently harmless info. can have negative consequences for someone because it is on a computer and privacy is ignored and non-existent.

The third paragraph isn't related to the first two.
However the information was gotten, quantum computing didn't have anything to do with it.

What we normally think of as privacy is completely gone already with the wired world we have.
What we can hope for at most is that information won't be used to manage us any more than it is.

 

[IByte]

Exactly, since computers, internet, "smart" devices, and mobile technology privacy at its core has gone the way of the dodo.

That's why I was kind of surprised that people got freaked about all the data collection from NSA.

 

[KmH]

I would bet one of the first large organizations to get a quantum computer was the NSA (National Security Agency).
No doubt they now have many of them.

While the border people likely don't have direct access to NSA computers, bet that the NSA disseminates info gleaned from their computers to the database the border people use.

People want to be 'connected', but I doubt most have any understanding what that is going to cost them in the very near future.

 

[skieur]

Both have been almost wiped out by technology. Quantum computers that handle in 2 seconds what takes 30 years for most of today's computers have recently be developed and are on the market to very large organizations that can afford them such as Google. This means that info. can be found in absolutely huge databases almost instantly and that includes personal information of millions of people.

A lot of encryption modes such as SSL, 128 bit, and all the open source codes have been broken because the new computers have the speed to do it, so the Internet has become a public place even for private email. Perhaps the most public places on the net are the social networks, whether you have used any privacy choices or not.

In Canada last year a woman was put on the no fly list because of medical information that the border people had access to. One must wonder what other medical and/or apparently harmless info. can have negative consequences for someone because it is on a computer and privacy is ignored and non-existent.

The third paragraph isn't related to the first two.
However the information was gotten, quantum computing didn't have anything to do with it.

What we normally think of as privacy is completely gone already with the wired world we have.
What we can hope for at most is that information won't be used to manage us any more than it is.

The third paragraph is the potential consequences of the speedy integrating of information from several sources possible using quantum computers.

And no privacy is not gone already, but it takes more work on the part of the individual to maintain it and you are WISHFUL THINKING if you think that it won't be used to manage us more than it is.

 

[Josh66]

A lot of encryption modes such as SSL, 128 bit, and all the open source codes have been broken because the new computers have the speed to do it, so the Internet has become a public place even for private email. Perhaps the most public places on the net are the social networks, whether you have used any privacy choices or not.

And soon that same technology will be used to make better encryption.

That's how it works.

They encrypt something, they figure out how to crack it, they make something better, they crack that, they make an even better model, etc... SOMEONE is always one step ahead.

 

[skieur]

Exactly, since computers, internet, "smart" devices, and mobile technology privacy at its core has gone the way of the dodo.

That's why I was kind of surprised that people got freaked about all the data collection from NSA.

Well, historically many people thought that data collection had nothing to do with them. I am sure that during the second world war a lot of Germans and East Europeans thought that, until they ended up getting sent to death camps because they had some aunt or second uncle who had a Jewish background. I am sure that during the same period Canadians of Japanese descent thought that, until they ended up in Internment Camps for the duration of the war.

Jumping to the present and during the G20 summit in Toronto a couple of years ago, hundreds of people: many of whom happened to live in the wrong area of the city, were illegally detained over night without food, drink, or medical care. Their information ended up in a police database. What were the consequences for them? Did they end up in homeland security border computers restricting their travel?

There have also been newspaper reports of people refused jobs because of Facebook profiles which employers viewed as "too party time" or "socially irresponsible".


So, I am NOT surprised that people got freaked out by data collection and lack of privacy when you consider that almost anything can be used against you, depending on who is making decisions about your employment, livelihood, taxes, career, finances, etc.

 

[skieur]

A lot of encryption modes such as SSL, 128 bit, and all the open source codes have been broken because the new computers have the speed to do it, so the Internet has become a public place even for private email. Perhaps the most public places on the net are the social networks, whether you have used any privacy choices or not.

And soon that same technology will be used to make better encryption.

That's how it works.

They encrypt something, they figure out how to crack it, they make something better, they crack that, they make an even better model, etc... SOMEONE is always one step ahead.

True, but that is based on everyone being on the same playing field. If I have a $2,000,000 quantum computer then I can usually beat your feeble attempts at encryption on your primitive computer, any day of the week.

 

[skieur]

I would bet one of the first large organizations to get a quantum computer was the NSA (National Security Agency).
No doubt they now have many of them.

While the border people likely don't have direct access to NSA computers, bet that the NSA disseminates info gleaned from their computers to the database the border people use.

People want to be 'connected', but I doubt most have any understanding what that is going to cost them in the very near future.

You are absolutely correct.

 

[Josh66]

A lot of encryption modes such as SSL, 128 bit, and all the open source codes have been broken because the new computers have the speed to do it, so the Internet has become a public place even for private email. Perhaps the most public places on the net are the social networks, whether you have used any privacy choices or not.

And soon that same technology will be used to make better encryption.

That's how it works.

They encrypt something, they figure out how to crack it, they make something better, they crack that, they make an even better model, etc... SOMEONE is always one step ahead.

True, but that is based on everyone being on the same playing field. If I have a $2,000,000 quantum computer then I can usually beat your feeble attempts at encryption on your primitive computer, any day of the week.

Why does everyone have to be on a level playing field? Did you develop ANY of the software that you use? Most likely, no. And yet you use it, maybe even on a "primitive" computer.

You don't think that the Government would be interested in developing stronger encryption??

(It was the US Navy that gave us Tor.)

 

[dxqcanada]

Toshiba has invented a quantum cryptography network that even the NSA can?t hack ? Quartz

... until we figure out what quantum physics is really about.

 

[skieur]

And soon that same technology will be used to make better encryption.

That's how it works.

They encrypt something, they figure out how to crack it, they make something better, they crack that, they make an even better model, etc... SOMEONE is always one step ahead.

True, but that is based on everyone being on the same playing field. If I have a $2,000,000 quantum computer then I can usually beat your feeble attempts at encryption on your primitive computer, any day of the week.

Why does everyone have to be on a level playing field? Did you develop ANY of the software that you use? Most likely, no. And yet you use it, maybe even on a "primitive" computer.

You don't think that the Government would be interested in developing stronger encryption??

(It was the US Navy that gave us Tor.)

Sorry, I missed whatever point you are trying to make. The government seems to be interested in breaking encryption so that they can access all the information on the net. Simply put, a much faster, more sophisticated quantum computer has a better chance of breaking any encryption designed on a more primitive computer. Complicating things further if any organization with $2,000,000 can buy one or several quantum computers like Google than they do can access any private information, profiles, personal stuff on the net as well.

As has been stated by some prominent and public activists, privacy and freedom are interconnected. If you don't have privacy then your freedom is equally restricted.

 

[skieur]

Toshiba has invented a quantum cryptography network that even the NSA can?t hack ? Quartz

... until we figure out what quantum physics is really about.

Governments however US and Canada are presenting blanket search warrants to ISPs to provide ALL their data, every 3 months. So much for cryptography IF the ISP can read the emails and/or has the encryption key being used.

 

[skieur]

And soon that same technology will be used to make better encryption.

That's how it works.

They encrypt something, they figure out how to crack it, they make something better, they crack that, they make an even better model, etc... SOMEONE is always one step ahead.

True, but that is based on everyone being on the same playing field. If I have a $2,000,000 quantum computer then I can usually beat your feeble attempts at encryption on your primitive computer, any day of the week.

Why does everyone have to be on a level playing field? Did you develop ANY of the software that you use? Most likely, no. And yet you use it, maybe even on a "primitive" computer.

You don't think that the Government would be interested in developing stronger encryption??

(It was the US Navy that gave us Tor.)

I am sure you realize that Tor has been broken, as has SSL, 128 bit and 256 bit encryption.

 

[Josh66]

True, but that is based on everyone being on the same playing field. If I have a $2,000,000 quantum computer then I can usually beat your feeble attempts at encryption on your primitive computer, any day of the week.

Why does everyone have to be on a level playing field? Did you develop ANY of the software that you use? Most likely, no. And yet you use it, maybe even on a "primitive" computer.

You don't think that the Government would be interested in developing stronger encryption??

(It was the US Navy that gave us Tor.)

I am sure you realize that Tor has been broken, as has SSL, 128 bit and 256 bit encryption.

I'm sure that is a sign that they're working on something better now.

I'm honestly not all that concerned with it... You seem to be suggesting that if you want good encryption, you have to have the hardware to develop it yourself.

Online privacy is dead - that's what you want to hear, right? What else is new? In a month or two, it will swing back to the "secure" side. Then, whatever that is - will be cracked too. And we will be right back where we started. Things will keep improving, for both sides. This is not "new"...