Encryption pointless?

[Husari77 2]

Hi! 

 

The Topic of the thread is not really if encryption in general is pointless, but rather how it might be rather pointless encrypting things now.  

 

I've read recently that there are back doors in many "save" encryption algorithms and even Intel microchips. Those back doors were planted there intentionally by the NSA, or so it said in the article. 

 

IF this is even remotely true, then HTTPS, and even the OpenVPN encryption is fairly pointless since it can be easily circumvented. It's only a matter of time that criminals find those back doors as well, because just KNOWING they exist, will - no doubt - motivate some people to search for them. 

 

Apart from getting rid of the NSA, and similar agencies, is there a way we can protect ourselves NOW? Just having encrypted traffic might actually increase the "curiosity" in that traffic, making it even less secure by being noticed and decrypted. 

 

I hope the fucking US will stop with their interference and spying sometime, before it's too late. 

 

 

What do you think? 

[Staff 10016]

Hi! 

 

The Topic of the thread is not really if encryption in general is pointless, but rather how it might be rather pointless encrypting things now.  

 

I've read recently that there are back doors in many "save" encryption algorithms and even Intel microchips. Those back doors were planted there intentionally by the NSA, or so it said in the article. 

 

IF this is even remotely true, then HTTPS, and even the OpenVPN encryption is fairly pointless since it can be easily circumvented. It's only a matter of time that criminals find those back doors as well, because just KNOWING they exist, will - no doubt - motivate some people to search for them. 

 

Hello,

 

luckily this is partial nonsense, and total nonsense about OpenVPN (if correctly configured) please see https://airvpn.org/topic/9981-fbi-admits-it-controlled-tor-servers-behind-mass-malware-attack/?do=findComment&comment=12441

 

Also see https://airvpn.org/topic/9949-us-and-uk-spy-agencies-defeat-privacy-and-security-on-the-internet/?do=findComment&comment=12224

 

and https://airvpn.org/topic/9949-us-and-uk-spy-agencies-defeat-privacy-and-security-on-the-internet/?do=findComment&comment=12227

 

and https://airvpn.org/topic/9949-us-and-uk-spy-agencies-defeat-privacy-and-security-on-the-internet/?do=findComment&comment=12242

 

 

Just having encrypted traffic might actually increase the "curiosity" in that traffic, making it even less secure by being noticed and decrypted. 

 

This is an interesting point, however privacy is a fundamental right as enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (art. 12) and in many countries it is a right granted by the Constitutional Charter. Usage of VPNs is massively spread (most of the small and all of the big companies use them for obvious reasons). Probably the more encryption will be properly used, the more the "curiosity" about encrypted traffic will necessarily fade away, because diluted amongst an enormous number of citizens and companies.

 

Kind regards

[////////////////////////// 3]

As more people use VPN this creates more encrypted traffic the NSA has to go through. So the more encrypted traffic there is, the more noise they have to wade through. Even if they can break encryption, it still takes resources. So sure maybe they can focus on specific people still and possibly break their encryption, but they would be less and less able to keep up with overall blanket coverage. At some point it becomes not worth it and they have to lower the amount of traffic they target.

 

Have fun breaking my encryption to see blog visits and netflix traffic. Hope I wasted a few seconds of their time.

[Husari77 2]

Thanks a lot for your replies, also in other threads. I wasn't looking into the issue much before and wanted to create a thread right after reading the article in a german online newspaper. [ http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/kryptografie-hintertueren-die-nsa-generalschluessel-fuers-internet-a-922588.html ]

That implied that many popular encryption standards would be compromised. They said SSL might be cracked for example.

I should have searched the forum first of course. On the other hand, bringing it up again might be good since it's such a disconcerting issue. I'm still kinda outraged about this whole scandal and can't really understand why the US population in particular doesn't seem very upset.

[Royee 11]

They would have about one million funny cat videos to decrypt...

[amnesty 18]

Thanks a lot for your replies, also in other threads. I wasn't looking into the issue much before and wanted to create a thread right after reading the article in a german online newspaper. [ http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/kryptografie-hintertueren-die-nsa-generalschluessel-fuers-internet-a-922588.html ]

That implied that many popular encryption standards would be compromised. They said SSL might be cracked for example.

Would you know the URL for the English page of this article? I searched Spiegel for NSA but found nothing on/around 19-09.2013. Also searched for NSA Scandal w/ no success.

I'm still kinda outraged about this whole scandal and can't really understand why the US population in particular doesn't seem very upset.

 

Tell me about it. I live in the NE part of the US and I'm surprised how many of my friends/acquaintances are OK with this.

Don't want to get into a political debate but it seems to me my privacy falls under freedom (a relatively basic right).

Reminds me (a little) of the McCarthy era in the 50's and the House on Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Yikes!

Edited ... by ferdowsi

[user37 28]

I too am frustrated by my fellow countrymen for not standing up against this nsa scandel. Most of my family and friends simply rely on the tv "news" for their information, so as with most others who do, they remain ignorant about the facts. The "news" media hardley mentions the scandels, and when they do they soften the seriousness of them, as well as slant the reporting in favor of the government. I'll bet almost half of all Americans don't even know their basic 4th amendment right. Sometimes I wonder if our "schools" even teach it anymore.

 

AMENDMENT IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

[knicker 11]

Nobody is standing up because Miley's ass, Kardashian's boobs and new igadgets are more important.

 

Nothing to hide they say? What about if they opened everyone's mail back in the 80's. Cold war was on so anyone could be a spy, huh? Like now everyone can be a terrorist?

Nothing to hide, no, but also nothing to tell and everything to protect.

 

They're not providing security for us by spying on everyone, but I feel like it's more to protect themselves from the people. Something is very wrong and I feel like something's up in the coming years.