Security technology – Page 257 – SSL and internet security news

Subconscious Keys

January 28, 2015 infossl

academicpapers, cryptanalysis, cryptography, encryption, keys, secrecy, Security technology

I missed this paper when it was first published in 2012: “Neuroscience Meets Cryptography: Designing Crypto Primitives Secure Against Rubber Hose Attacks” Abstract: Cryptographic systems often rely on the secrecy of cryptographic keys given to users. Many schemes, however, cannot resist coercion attacks where the user is forcibly asked by an attacker to reveal the … Read More “Subconscious Keys” »

Police Using Radar that Sees Through Walls

January 27, 2015 infossl

courts, military, police, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

In the latest example of a military technology that has secretly been used by the police, we have radar guns that can see through walls. Powered by WPeMatico

The IDEA Encryption Algorithm with a 128-bit Block Length

January 27, 2015 infossl

algorithms, cryptanalysis, cryptography, encryption, Security technology

Here’s an IDEA-variant with a 128-bit block length. While I think it’s a great idea to bring IDEA up to a modern block length, the paper has none of the cryptanalysis behind it that IDEA had. If nothing else, I would have expected more than eight rounds. If anyone wants to practice differential and linear … Read More “The IDEA Encryption Algorithm with a 128-bit Block Length” »

Basaaly Moalin: The One "Terrorist" Caught by Section 215 Surveillance

January 26, 2015 infossl

Security technology

Remember back in 2013 when the then-director of the NSA Keith Alexander claimed that Section 215 bulk telephone metadata surveillance stopped “fifty-four different terrorist-related activities”? Remember when that number was backtracked several times, until all that was left was a single Somali taxi driver who was convicted of sending some money back home? This is … Read More “Basaaly Moalin: The One "Terrorist" Caught by Section 215 Surveillance” »

My Conversation with Edward Snowden

January 23, 2015 infossl

Security technology

Today, as part of a Harvard computer science symposium, I had a public conversation with Edward Snowden. The topics were largely technical, ranging from cryptography to hacking to surveillance to what to do now. Here’s the video. Powered by WPeMatico

Friday Squid Blogging: Giggling Squid Restaurant

January 23, 2015 infossl

Security technology, squid

Giggling Squid is a Thai restaurant chain in the UK. As usual, you can also use this squid post to talk about the security stories in the news that I haven’t covered. Powered by WPeMatico

When Thinking Machines Break the Law

January 23, 2015 infossl

Security technology

Last year, two Swiss artists programmed a Random Botnot Shopper, which every week would spend $100 in bitcoin to buy a random item from an anonymous Internet black market…all for an art project on display in Switzerland. It was a clever concept, except there was a problem. Most of the stuff the bot purchased was … Read More “When Thinking Machines Break the Law” »

Defending Against Liar Buyer Fraud

January 21, 2015 infossl

academicpapers, anonymity, ebay, fraud, lies, Security technology

It’s a common fraud on sites like eBay: buyers falsely claim that they never received a purchased item in the mail. Here’s a paper on defending against this fraud through basic psychological security measures. It’s preliminary research, but probably worth experimental research. We have tested a collection of possible user-interface enhancements aimed at reducing liar … Read More “Defending Against Liar Buyer Fraud” »

Accountability as a Security System

January 20, 2015 infossl

accountability, complexity, essays, nationalsecuritypolicy, Security technology

At a CATO surveillance event last month, Ben Wittes talked about inherent presidential powers of surveillance with this hypothetical: “What should Congress have to say about the rules when Barack Obama wants to know what Vladimir Putin is talking about?” His answer was basically that Congress should have no say: “I think most people, going … Read More “Accountability as a Security System” »

US Law Enforcement Also Conducting Mass Telephone Surveillance

January 19, 2015 infossl

courts, dea, metadata, nationalsecuritypolicy, phones, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

Late last year, in a criminal case involving export violations, the US government disclosed a mysterious database of telephone call records that it had queried in the case. The defendant argued that the database was the NSA’s, and that the query was unconditional and the evidence should be suppressed. The government said that the database … Read More “US Law Enforcement Also Conducting Mass Telephone Surveillance” »