Steve Smith talks about Firefox, the vulnerability that could be exploited to expose Tor Users, Rule 41 and its guilty by use policy, and how it all affects your privacy online.
Episode #7-14 released on December 3, 2016
Firefox Recently Announced a Flaw that exposed every Tor user using a Windows machine, with the possibility that the FBI was responsible for the vulnerability itself. The reason, the vulnerability strikes very similar ties to the methods used by the FBI to collect tor user information and unmask users. Now, while some admit, it may not be specifically the FBI itself, that some other government agency may be responsible, some serious intel sharing is occurring in the background. And, with the way the American Government is going in the United States, especially with rule 41, Americans may soon be living in a very different world, where using anonymizing tools will equate you to being a criminal through the act of using such currently legal tools. This is the same idea as making privacy illegal, and it is an arms race now between the Government and Developers.
Now, why would I claim an Arms race between developers and Governments. It may be because of how Math works. Encryption, a tool expected to be used by users, and hated by Governments, is something that is always in the crosshairs. Encryption relies on Math to work, properly, and in a way, that prevents any information leakage. Now, various Government agencies in the world want weaker encryption practices that benefit spying on users, this makes the web-site, application, databases, etc. insecure. Now, can anyone guess what happens to companies that voluntarily use weak data security practices? Usually, when hacked, they get sued, and the Governments of the world won't prevent that. The incentive is there to use better, stronger data security practices, which essentially knocks down the wish list of every government in the world.
Now, for those who don't already know, Rule 41, would allow American Judges to grant the FBI warrants to access and collect information remotely on cellphones, tablets, computers, etc. whereas previously evidence collected in this way was subject to warrants acquired in the correct jurisdiction. Currently, only Magistrate Judges can issue such warrants, but this would make it easier for everyone to fall victim to crimes by association, whether you were aware of an issue or not. Combined with the equalization of criminalization of users by use of anonymizer tools such as TOR, VPNS, Proxies, etc. everyone, whether currently aware or not, can and will be considered a criminal in the eyes of American Government Police Agencies. And, since we already know Governments lack any moral fiber when it comes to not infecting our computers will malware that can be exploited by other malicious entities, whether they are willing to admit or not. Maybe, just maybe, this whole human government thing needs to be rethought, especially in countries that operate with corporations and government agencies who have free reign over everything.
Host : Steve Smith | Music : | Editor : Steve Smith | Producer : Zed Axis Dot Net