Collaborate Disseminate
The United States government’s continuing disagreement with the Chinese company Huawei underscores a much larger problem with computer technologies in general: We have no choice but to trust them completely, and it’s impossible to verify that they’re trustworthy. Solving this problem which is increasingly a national security issue will require us to both make major policy changes and… Continue reading Supply-Chain Security and Trust
The trade war with China has reached a new industry: subway cars. Congress is considering legislation that would prevent the world’s largest train maker, the Chinese-owned CRRC Corporation, from competing on new contracts in the United States. Part of the reasoning behind this legislation is economic, and stems from worries about Chinese industries undercutting the competition and dominating key global… Continue reading On Chinese "Spy Trains"
The Department of Justice wants access to encrypted consumer devices but promises not to infiltrate business products or affect critical infrastructure. Yet that’s not possible, because there is no longer any difference between those categories of devi… Continue reading The Myth of Consumer-Grade Security
The Department of Justice wants access to encrypted consumer devices but promises not to infiltrate business products or affect critical infrastructure. Yet that’s not possible, because there is no longer any difference between those categories of devices. Consumer devices are critical infrastructure. They affect national security. And it would be foolish to weaken them, even at the request of law… Continue reading The Myth of Consumer-Grade Security
Influence operations are elusive to define. The Rand Corp.’s definition is as good as any: "the collection of tactical information about an adversary as well as the dissemination of propaganda in pursuit of a competitive advantage over an opponent." Basically, we know it when we see it, from bots controlled by the Russian Internet Research Agency to Saudi attempts to… Continue reading Influence Operations Kill Chain
Interesting analysis: "Examining the Anomalies, Explaining the Value: Should the USA FREEDOM Act’s Metadata Program be Extended?" by Susan Landau and Asaf Lubin. Abstract: The telephony metadata program which was authorized under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, remains one of the most controversial programs launched by the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Under… Continue reading Evaluating the NSA’s Telephony Metadata Program
Yesterday, Attorney General William Barr gave a major speech on encryption policy — what is commonly known as "going dark." Speaking at Fordham University in New York, he admitted that adding backdoors decreases security but that it is worth i… Continue reading Attorney General William Barr on Encryption Policy
Yesterday, Attorney General William Barr gave a major speech on encryption policy — what is commonly known as "going dark." Speaking at Fordham University in New York, he admitted that adding backdoors decreases security but that it is worth it. Some hold this view dogmatically, claiming that it is technologically impossible to provide lawful access without weakening security against unlawful… Continue reading Attorney General William Barr on Encryption Policy
The French army is going to put together a team of science fiction writers to help imagine future threats. Leaving aside the question of whether science fiction writers are better or worse at envisioning nonfictional futures, this isn’t new. The US Dep… Continue reading Science Fiction Writers Helping Imagine Future Threats
The French army is going to put together a team of science fiction writers to help imagine future threats. Leaving aside the question of whether science fiction writers are better or worse at envisioning nonfictional futures, this isn’t new. The US Department of Homeland Security did the same thing over a decade ago, and I wrote about it back then:… Continue reading Science Fiction Writers Helping Imagine Future Threats