Category: australia

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Australia Threatens to Force Companies to Break Encryption

Posted on By infossl
australia, backdoors, crypto wars, encryption, laws, Security technology, Uncategorized

In 2018, Australia passed the Assistance and Access Act, which—among other things—gave the government the power to force companies to break their own encryption. The Assistance and Access Act includes key components that outline investigatory powers between government and industry. These components include: Technical Assistance Requests (TARs): TARs are voluntary requests for assistance accessing encrypted … Read More “Australia Threatens to Force Companies to Break Encryption” »

Australia Increases Fines for Massive Data Breaches

Posted on By infossl
australia, cyberattack, data breaches, incentives, Security technology, Uncategorized

After suffering two large, and embarrassing, data breaches in recent weeks, the Australian government increased the fine for serious data breaches from $2.2 million to a minimum of $50 million. (That’s $50 million AUD, or $32 million USD.) This is a welcome change. The problem is one of incentives, and Australia has now increased the … Read More “Australia Increases Fines for Massive Data Breaches” »

FBI/AFP-Run Encrypted Phone

Posted on By infossl
australia, backdoors, encryption, fbi, law enforcement, Security technology, trust, Uncategorized

For three years, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Australian Federal Police owned and operated a commercial encrypted phone app, called AN0M, that was used by organized crime around the world. Of course, the police were able to read everything — I don’t even know if this qualifies as a backdoor. This week, the … Read More “FBI/AFP-Run Encrypted Phone” »

BlackBerry Phone Cracked

Posted on By infossl
australia, blackberry, cracking, crime, drugtrade, encryption, lawenforcement, phones, Security technology

Australia is reporting that a BlackBerry device has been cracked after five years: An encrypted BlackBerry device that was cracked five years after it was first seized by police is poised to be the key piece of evidence in one of the state’s longest-running drug importation investigations. In April, new technology “capabilities” allowed authorities to … Read More “BlackBerry Phone Cracked” »

Speakers Censored at AISA Conference in Melbourne

Posted on By infossl
australia, conferences, Security technology, whistleblowers

Two speakers were censored at the Australian Information Security Association’s annual conference this week in Melbourne. Thomas Drake, former NSA employee and whistleblower, was scheduled to give a talk on the golden age of surveillance, both government and corporate. Suelette Dreyfus, lecturer at the University of Melbourne, was scheduled to give a talk on her … Read More “Speakers Censored at AISA Conference in Melbourne” »

New Australian Backdoor Law

Posted on By infossl
australia, backdoors, cryptography, cryptowars, encryption, Security technology

Last week, Australia passed a law giving the government the ability to demand backdoors in computers and communications systems. Details are still to be defined, but it’s really bad. Note: Many people e-mailed me to ask why I haven’t blogged this yet. One, I was busy with other things. And two, there’s nothing I can … Read More “New Australian Backdoor Law” »

Kidnapping Fraud

Posted on By infossl
australia, china, fraud, kidnapping, scams, Security technology

Fake kidnapping fraud: “Most commonly we have unsolicited calls to potential victims in Australia, purporting to represent the people in authority in China and suggesting to intending victims here they have been involved in some sort of offence in China or elsewhere, for which they’re being held responsible,” Commander McLean said. The scammers threaten the … Read More “Kidnapping Fraud” »

Cabinet of Secret Documents from Australia

Posted on By infossl
australia, control, laws, leaks, nationalsecuritypolicy, physicalsecurity, secrecy, Security technology

This story of leaked Australian government secrets is unlike any other I’ve heard: It begins at a second-hand shop in Canberra, where ex-government furniture is sold off cheaply. The deals can be even cheaper when the items in question are two heavy filing cabinets to which no-one can find the keys. They were purchased for … Read More “Cabinet of Secret Documents from Australia” »

Facebook Fingerprinting Photos to Prevent Revenge Porn

Posted on By infossl
australia, facebook, fingerprints, hashes, pornography, Security technology

This is a pilot project in Australia: Individuals who have shared intimate, nude or sexual images with partners and are worried that the partner (or ex-partner) might distribute them without their consent can use Messenger to send the images to be “hashed.” This means that the company converts the image into a unique digital fingerprint … Read More “Facebook Fingerprinting Photos to Prevent Revenge Porn” »