courts – Page 5 – SSL and internet security news

The Importance of Protecting Cybersecurity Whistleblowers

June 3, 2019 infossl

breaches, courts, cybersecurity, disclosure, laws, Security technology, whistleblowers

Interesting essay arguing that we need better legislation to protect cybersecurity whistleblowers. Congress should act to protect cybersecurity whistleblowers because information security has never been so important, or so challenging. In the wake of a barrage of shocking revelations about data breaches and companies mishandling of customer data, a bipartisan consensus has emerged in support … Read More “The Importance of Protecting Cybersecurity Whistleblowers” »

I Was Cited in a Court Decision

March 15, 2019 infossl

academicpapers, courts, encryption, passwords, schneiernews, Security technology

An article I co-wrote — my first law journal article — was cited by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court — the state supreme court — in a case on compelled decryption. Here’s the first, in footnote 1: We understand the word “password” to be synonymous with other terms that cell phone users may be familiar … Read More “I Was Cited in a Court Decision” »

El Chapo’s Encryption Defeated by Turning His IT Consultant

January 16, 2019 infossl

backdoors, courts, drugtrade, encryption, fbi, insiders, keys, Security technology

Impressive police work: In a daring move that placed his life in danger, the I.T. consultant eventually gave the F.B.I. his system’s secret encryption keys in 2011 after he had moved the network’s servers from Canada to the Netherlands during what he told the cartel’s leaders was a routine upgrade. A Dutch article says that … Read More “El Chapo’s Encryption Defeated by Turning His IT Consultant” »

SpiderOak’s Warrant Canary Died

August 8, 2018 infossl

cloudcomputing, courts, nationalsecuritypolicy, secrecy, Security technology, transparency

BoingBoing has the story. I have never quite trusted the idea of a warrant canary. But here it seems to have worked. (Presumably, if SpiderOak wanted to replace the warrant canary with a transparency report, they would have written something explaining their decision. To have it simply disappear is what we would expect if SpiderOak … Read More “SpiderOak’s Warrant Canary Died” »

Suing South Carolina Because Its Election Machines Are Insecure

July 19, 2018 infossl

courts, nationalsecuritypolicy, Security technology, voting

A group called Protect Democracy is suing South Carolina because its insecure voting machines are effectively denying people the right to vote. Note: I am an advisor to Protect Democracy on its work related to election cybersecurity, and submitted a declaration in litigation it filed, challenging President Trump’s now-defunct “election integrity” commission. Powered by WPeMatico

E-Mail Leaves an Evidence Trail

February 26, 2018 infossl

courts, crime, fbi, forensics, operationalsecurity, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

If you’re going to commit an illegal act, it’s best not to discuss it in e-mail. It’s also best to Google tech instructions rather than asking someone else to do it: One new detail from the indictment, however, points to just how unsophisticated Manafort seems to have been. Here’s the relevant passage from the indictment. … Read More “E-Mail Leaves an Evidence Trail” »

After Section 702 Reauthorization

January 31, 2018 infossl

courts, edwardsnowden, essays, lawenforcement, loopholes, nationalsecuritypolicy, nsa, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

For over a decade, civil libertarians have been fighting government mass surveillance of innocent Americans over the Internet. We’ve just lost an important battle. On January 18, President Trump signed the renewal of Section 702, domestic mass surveillance became effectively a permanent part of US law. Section 702 was initially passed in 2008, as an … Read More “After Section 702 Reauthorization” »

Warrant Protections against Police Searches of Our Data

November 29, 2017 infossl

cellphones, courts, police, privacy, searches, Security technology

The cell phones we carry with us constantly are the most perfect surveillance device ever invented, and our laws haven’t caught up to that reality. That might change soon. This week, the Supreme Court will hear a case with profound implications on your security and privacy in the coming years. The Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of … Read More “Warrant Protections against Police Searches of Our Data” »

What the NSA Collects via 702

September 20, 2017 infossl

courts, datacollection, foia, nationalsecuritypolicy, nsa, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

New York Times reporter Charlie Savage writes about some bad statistics we’re all using: Among surveillance legal policy specialists, it is common to cite a set of statistics from an October 2011 opinion by Judge John Bates, then of the FISA Court, about the volume of internet communications the National Security Agency was collecting under … Read More “What the NSA Collects via 702” »

Do the Police Need a Search Warrant to Access Cell Phone Location Data?

August 17, 2017 infossl

cellphones, courts, nationalsecuritypolicy, police, Security technology

The US Supreme Court is deciding a case that will establish whether the police need a warrant to access cell phone location data. This week I signed on to an amicus brief from a wide array of security technologists outlining the technical arguments as why the answer should be yes. Susan Landau summarized our arguments. … Read More “Do the Police Need a Search Warrant to Access Cell Phone Location Data?” »