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Security: Internet
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Computer Security Primer-The Internet
Can I Use
Cryptographic
Privacy Software?
Introduction
Cryptographic policies vary from country to country. Even though strong
cryptography in this networked age is the only protection that
the individual or firm has for their privacy, and in some cases, economic
well being, various countries don't seem to agree.
There is a popular myth in some quarters of government in some countries
that the proverbial cat can be put back in the proverbial bag. This is
largely propaganda to help promote popular acceptance of the theory that much
easily-broken cryptography is better to sift through for intelligence and
law enforcement agencies, if any cryptography is to be used. Most
people who understand the technology realize that commerce mandates
the use of cryptography - for authentication - for privacy - but there are
varying opinions on just which technologies should be available to whom.
The biggest problem with that concept is that when
weak cryptography is used,
it is weak to all who would wish to circumvent it. When
back doors
are installed in software, who is to know who will find the key to
those back doors and enter and exit freely. This is all the more a question
when the doors are made invisible to the owner of that software or hardware
and others who trustingly and blindly use it.
Within individual countries, some political subdivisions also have
cryptographic policies. This ranges from support and optional
registration of public keys to the strict controls, or requirement
that only state supplied (and presumably state installed back
door) technologies may be used.
So, do you use such technologies yourself? Or trust your ISP, however good,
or background technologies to do the job? That depends entirely on what
you're protecting, and whether or not those transparent technologies can
be trusted.
It doesn't matter how strong the technology, when unexpected parties
have access to the data anywhere between its origin, and its intended use.
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