internetandsociety – SSL and internet security news

Securing Internet Videoconferencing Apps: Zoom and Others

April 30, 2020 infossl

aes, encryption, internetandsociety, keys, nsa, Security technology, securityengineering, videoconferencing

The NSA just published a survey of video conferencing apps. So did Mozilla. Zoom is on the good list, with some caveats. The company has done a lot of work addressing previous security concerns. It still has a bit to go on end-to-end encryption. Matthew Green looked at this. Zoom does offer end-to-end encryption if … Read More “Securing Internet Videoconferencing Apps: Zoom and Others” »

Iran Has Shut Off its Internet

November 20, 2019 infossl

censorship, control, internetandsociety, iran, Security technology

Iran has gone pretty much entirely offline in the wake of nationwide protests. This is the best article detailing what’s going on; this is also good. AccessNow has a global campaign to stop Internet shutdowns. TITLE EDITED TO REDUCE CONFUSION. Powered by WPeMatico

Public Hearing on IoT Risks

April 3, 2018 infossl

consumerization, internetandsociety, internetofthings, nationalsecuritypolicy, Security technology

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is holding hearings on IoT risks: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC, Commission, or we) will conduct a public hearing to receive information from all interested parties about potential safety issues and hazards associated with internet-connected consumer products. The information received from the public hearing will be used … Read More “Public Hearing on IoT Risks” »

Harassment By Package Delivery

February 22, 2018 infossl

amazon, anonymity, internetandsociety, Security technology

People harassing women by delivering anonymous packages purchased from Amazon. On the one hand, there is nothing new here. This could have happened decades ago, pre-Internet. But the Internet makes this easier, and the article points out that using prepaid gift cards makes this anonymous. I am curious how much these differences make a difference … Read More “Harassment By Package Delivery” »

Article from a Former Chinese PLA General on Cyber Sovereignty

January 17, 2018 infossl

china, firewall, internetandsociety, nationalsecuritypolicy, Security technology

Interesting article by Major General Hao Yeli, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (ret.), a senior advisor at the China International Institute for Strategic Society, Vice President of China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy, and the Chair of the Guanchao Cyber Forum. Against the background of globalization and the internet era, the emerging cyber sovereignty concept … Read More “Article from a Former Chinese PLA General on Cyber Sovereignty” »

New Book Coming in September: “Click Here to Kill Everybody”

January 5, 2018 infossl

books, internetandsociety, internetofthings, schneiernews, Security technology

My next book is still on track for a September 2018 publication. Norton is still the publisher. The title is now Click Here to Kill Everybody: Peril and Promise on a Hyperconnected Planet, which I generally refer to as CH2KE. The table of contents has changed since I last blogged about this, and it now … Read More “New Book Coming in September: “Click Here to Kill Everybody”” »

Amazon’s Door Lock Is Amazon’s Bid to Control Your Home

December 22, 2017 infossl

amazon, feudalsecurity, internetandsociety, internetofthings, keys, Security technology

Interesting essay about Amazon’s smart lock: When you add Amazon Key to your door, something more sneaky also happens: Amazon takes over. You can leave your keys at home and unlock your door with the Amazon Key app — but it’s really built for Amazon deliveries. To share online access with family and friends, I … Read More “Amazon’s Door Lock Is Amazon’s Bid to Control Your Home” »

Book Review: Twitter and Tear Gas, by Zeynep Tufekci

July 14, 2017 infossl

books, generations, internetandsociety, Security technology, socialmedia, twitter

There are two opposing models of how the Internet has changed protest movements. The first is that the Internet has made protesters mightier than ever. This comes from the successful revolutions in Tunisia (2010-11), Egypt (2011), and Ukraine (2013). The second is that it has made them more ineffectual. Derided as “slacktivism” or “clicktivism,” the … Read More “Book Review: Twitter and Tear Gas, by Zeynep Tufekci” »

Ransomware and the Internet of Things

May 25, 2017 infossl

cyberattack, internetandsociety, internetofthings, ransomware, Security technology, securityengineering

As devastating as the latest widespread ransomware attacks have been, it’s a problem with a solution. If your copy of Windows is relatively current and you’ve kept it updated, your laptop is immune. It’s only older unpatched systems on your computer that are vulnerable. Patching is how the computer industry maintains security in the face … Read More “Ransomware and the Internet of Things” »

The Quick vs. the Strong: Commentary on Cory Doctorow’s Walkaway

May 15, 2017 infossl

books, essays, internetandsociety, power, Security technology, socialmedia

Technological advances change the world. That’s partly because of what they are, but even more because of the social changes they enable. New technologies upend power balances. They give groups new capabilities, increased effectiveness, and new defenses. The Internet decades have been a never-ending series of these upendings. We’ve seen existing industries fall and new … Read More “The Quick vs. the Strong: Commentary on Cory Doctorow’s Walkaway” »