Encryption is essential for privacy when using the internet – hence the opposition to the UK Government’s Draft Online Safety Bill, that wants to put controls on the way you and I use encryption to protect the privacy of our private communications and transactions over the web.
It is interesting that the United States premier spy and data harvesting operation, the NSA, is deeply involved in research to develop quantum computers, a tool that when mature could be used to break current data encryption.
Cryptanalysis and quantum: How NSA spies are trying to shape the future | MIT Technology Review
They are spies and encryption is only another type of code, and spies have always wanted to break codes. There is nothing new there, except previous code breaking was generally aimed against opposition to the state, this code breaking could be aimed at the citizen of that state. The NSA (and GCHQ) has form when it comes to that:
NSA Spying | Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org)
UK-US surveillance regime was unlawful ‘for seven years’ | GCHQ | The Guardian
However I do not think equipping GCHQ with the tools needed to inspect encrypted communications is a bad thing – they are charged, with other government departments, to protect us. A job that is difficult and we should not ham string their efforts. But our privacy is something they also need to protect. What is needed is proper legislation, crafted with a knowledge of technology and with the consent of the people, to control how those tools are used. Not brought into use under the cover of “doing us good” with an Online Safety Bill.
Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles
Further Reading
Online Safety Bill articles (Smart Thinking Solutions)
Online Safety Bill publications – Parliamentary Bills – UK Parliament
Draft Online Safety Bill (Joint Committee) – Summary – Committees – UK Parliament
Draft Online Safety Bill – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Smart Thinking Solutions supports this UK Government initiative:
Let’s stop abuse together – Stop Abuse Together (campaign.gov.uk)
