When is ‘not a backdoor’ just a backdoor? Australia’s struggle with encryption
The Australian government wants the ability to read messages kept secret by encryption in the name of aiding criminal investigations. But just how it proposes to do this is unclear. As Australian Attorney-General George Brandis recently told Fairfax: At one point or more of that process, access to the encrypted communication is essential for intelligence […]
Open Rights Group: The London Attacks
Open Rights Group condemns the appalling attack at London Bridge; this is not only a violent assault on individual lives but an attack against the freedom and security we enjoy in the UK. It is disappointing that in the aftermath of this attack, the Government’s response appears to focus on the regulation of the Internet […]
The Future of Ransomware
Ransomware isn’t new, but it’s increasingly popular and profitable. The concept is simple: Your computer gets infected with a virus that encrypts your files until you pay a ransom. It’s extortion taken to its networked extreme. The criminals provide step-by-step instructions on how to pay, sometimes even offering a help line for victims unsure how […]
Open Rights Group: The Manchester attack
Open Rights Group wishes to express its sympathy for the victims of the vile and brutal attack in Manchester. We condemn these violent attacks, which seem even more abhorrent when deliberately targeted at children and young people. We hope that law enforcement and intelligence agencies will help to bring those involved in these attacks to […]
Government says NO to expanding data retention to civil cases
Just before Easter, the government announced that it will not be expanding access to telecommunications data (‘metadata’) to civil litigants. This is an important victory. Had the government allowed even a limited expansion of access, it would almost certainly have been just the first of a number of such expansions. It’s also heartening to see that, […]