More on Snowden
Apr. 18th, 2014 06:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thewayneEarlier this week the Russian President Vladimir Putin did an annual event which was effectively an open Q&A with the press. Edward Snowden asked him a question about whether Russia conducts mass surveillance on their people, Putin denied it. What a surprise.
In this editorial for The Guardian, Snowden explains that he wanted to get Putin on public record to open a dialog to get Russian journalists and privacy rights advocates to push the question further. Snowden goes on to say that Putin's answers were much like Obama's initial denials.
Personally, I don't know that Russia has the computer/software power to conduct mass surveillance. They probably accumulate a lot of surveillance information but don't have that great of resources for mining it. On the other hand, they have an excellent skill set for spying on targeted individuals, and anyone who stands up and needs to be hammered down will become a targeted individual.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/18/vladimir-putin-surveillance-us-leaders-snowden
In other news, Snowden's encrypted email provider, Lavabit, lost a contempt appeal. Lavabit provided end-to-end strong encryption, and when the FBI went after Snowden, they demanded all crypto keys, not just the ability to wire tap Snowden's emails. Lavabit unfortunately did sort of a Three Stooges routine in turning over the keys, staying within the letter of the order while clearly ignoring the intent. They were cited for contempt and have now lost, unfortunately because of their attempts to dodge the subpoena, they caused such a mess that the larger issue, that the FBI was overbroad in requesting crypto keys when they should and could have asked for just Snowden's info, was not part of the contempt ruling and wasn't examined.
http://www.wired.com/2014/04/lavabit-ruling/
In this editorial for The Guardian, Snowden explains that he wanted to get Putin on public record to open a dialog to get Russian journalists and privacy rights advocates to push the question further. Snowden goes on to say that Putin's answers were much like Obama's initial denials.
Personally, I don't know that Russia has the computer/software power to conduct mass surveillance. They probably accumulate a lot of surveillance information but don't have that great of resources for mining it. On the other hand, they have an excellent skill set for spying on targeted individuals, and anyone who stands up and needs to be hammered down will become a targeted individual.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/18/vladimir-putin-surveillance-us-leaders-snowden
In other news, Snowden's encrypted email provider, Lavabit, lost a contempt appeal. Lavabit provided end-to-end strong encryption, and when the FBI went after Snowden, they demanded all crypto keys, not just the ability to wire tap Snowden's emails. Lavabit unfortunately did sort of a Three Stooges routine in turning over the keys, staying within the letter of the order while clearly ignoring the intent. They were cited for contempt and have now lost, unfortunately because of their attempts to dodge the subpoena, they caused such a mess that the larger issue, that the FBI was overbroad in requesting crypto keys when they should and could have asked for just Snowden's info, was not part of the contempt ruling and wasn't examined.
http://www.wired.com/2014/04/lavabit-ruling/
no subject
Date: 2014-04-19 01:35 am (UTC)