By now almost everything that can be said about the Apple-FBI riff has been said. The FBI wants to open the San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone and Apple’s CEO Tim Cook wants to secure iPhones everywhere. It is a defining struggle that we knew would eventually take place as the U.S. government (USG) deploys every counter-terrorism technique they can think of, and Apple deploys every privacy and security technique they can think of. Continue reading Tim Cook at the Pearly Gates
Category Archives: Policy
Why Physical Cyber Security is Broken
Recent FBI reports of a dozen physical attacks on the Internet backbone near Sacramento, CA highlight the sad state of physical cyber security and policies to cope with threats to the Internet. Sacramento is an intermediary in the Internet backbone carrying east-west traffic; it connects Chicago and San Francisco hubs, and ultimately links the West Coast with the remainder of the U.S. and Europe. No wonder the bad guys physically cut the fiber optic cable near Sacramento—it is a critical link in the most highly traveled cables in the U.S. Continue reading Why Physical Cyber Security is Broken
The Future of Tech is Regulation
Most technologists believe the future of the planet lies in technology. The Internet overcomes injustice, renewable energy defeats global climate change, democracy wins over anarchy, and computers equal higher standards of living around the globe. The future of humanity depends on successful deployment of technology. But the future of technology is government regulation—NOT unbridled technology. Continue reading The Future of Tech is Regulation
Government Surveillance Will Fragment the Internet
The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), in the role of protector of U.S. citizens, wants to watch over the Internet and its users through backdoor mechanisms and/or code breaking. This “weak encryption” policy has its “strong encryption” opponents who argue government surveillance of Internet companies, users, and foreign governments violates the fundamental constitutional rights of privacy and liberty. Continue reading Government Surveillance Will Fragment the Internet