Australian Govt coming after encrypted messaging apps

BarkyPup

Citizen of Zooville
BANNED USER
so yeah....just giving those whom are concerned a heads up.....
The Australian Govt is trying to ban or at least have backdoor access to encrypted messaging apps..
Personally I dont believe the proposed legislation will pass The Lower House of Reps in Parliament
but I just wanted to let all my zoo friends be aware its on the table....

for some reason I cant copy the link BUT you can find the story on
www.gizmodo.com.au

Stay smart stay aware
 
ye
At least a proof that the current encryption is hard to crack. :D
s hard to crack however if this legislation passes well...its probable ALL encrypted app services will be banned at least in Au

Maybe we should just get born...make tax dollars ...and die......
Between the Fun Police and Big Brother Govt soon we won't be able to do a thing
 
ye

s hard to crack however if this legislation passes well...its probable ALL encrypted app services will be banned at least in Au

Maybe we should just get born...make tax dollars ...and die......
Between the Fun Police and Big Brother Govt soon we won't be able to do a thing
Well you said it is not likely to pass. But even if it does, will it prevent access to opensource encrypted messaging like Matrix or the use of TOR?
 
Well you said it is not likely to pass. But even if it does, will it prevent access to opensource encrypted messaging like Matrix or the use of TOR?
I guess the devil will be in the detail but as I hear any developments ill do my best to let all my ZV fam know....
as for Matrix and TOR I dont know but its possible/probable....ill keep y'all posted
 
Well, stuff like matrix is not under the control of any one company and not to be distinguished from a normal website that has state-of-the-art encryption and that won't change for a mere australian government. Also there are peer to peer messengers that also can't be shut off that way. I guess we would be using that one if they'd finally implement permanent chatrooms with a permanent link.
 
Well you said it is not likely to pass. But even if it does, will it prevent access to opensource encrypted messaging like Matrix or the use of TOR?
Even If does pass. Is it truly encrypted at that point if they develop a backdoor? Really defeats the purpose of a encryption
 
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Even If does pass. Is it truly encrypted at that point if they develop a backdoor? Really defeats the purpose of a encryption
The project would have to agree to add a backdoor into their code. Which is not going to happen in open source projects like tor.
 
The project would have to agree to add a backdoor into their code. Which is not going to happen in open source projects like tor.
Even if any project agrees how is it encrypted if theres a backdoor.

Im imaging a scrambled egg in the front (encrypted) while theres a intact egg in the back. (Backdoor)

But they are the same egg from a different view
 
with most messaging apps you won't notice it - you can only do that if you manage your private keys yourself, but usually you don't come into contact with those because that would be to complicated for users... Stuff like PGP or GPG can't be broken like that, but they're "too complicated" for normal users.
 
Even if any project agrees how is it encrypted if theres a backdoor.

Im imaging a scrambled egg in the front (encrypted) while theres a intact egg in the back. (Backdoor)

But they are the same egg from a different view
Easy, let the program that does the encrypting send a copy of the private key to the government or use their keys from the start and instead of creating keys just assigns prefabricated ones. Or use random number generators that are weakened so they're easily cracked if you know the weakness.
 
Easy, let the program that does the encrypting send a copy of the private key to the government or use their keys from the start and instead of creating keys just assigns prefabricated ones. Or use random number generators that are weakened so they're easily cracked if you know the weakness.
Ok anyway to simplify that into imagery like my egg comparison?

Thanks for explaining though
 
Well, can't fit that into an analogy because you can't unscramble an egg - but you can decrypt everything if you have the right key. So think of it like this: You have a box with two keys (that are always created in pairs). one is for putting in stuff and that one is just dangling on a thread next to the box - that is your public key. another is the private key and you need that one to open the box and take stuff out. Now you have an app-vendor that says using two keys is too difficult for the average user and hides them in a button that you take with you and one on the box. Also the vendor makes those hidden keys for you. That's why he can send a copy of the private key to the government. Or he could create a lock that also opens with a standard key. Or he can use blanks for the keys that only allow a few different configurations on the key so he only has to try a few ones out till he finds one that also fits. But most users prefer the vendor because that way they don't have to bother with a file to make their own keys out of a blank and don't have to search for the right key in their keyring. That last would be using PGP or GPG where you have to create and manage your own keys.
 
Well, can't fit that into an analogy because you can't unscramble an egg - but you can decrypt everything if you have the right key. So think of it like this: You have a box with two keys (that are always created in pairs). one is for putting in stuff and that one is just dangling on a thread next to the box - that is your public key. another is the private key and you need that one to open the box and take stuff out. Now you have an app-vendor that says using two keys is too difficult for the average user and hides them in a button that you take with you and one on the box. Also the vendor makes those hidden keys for you. That's why he can send a copy of the private key to the government. Or he could create a lock that also opens with a standard key. Or he can use blanks for the keys that only allow a few different configurations on the key so he only has to try a few ones out till he finds one that also fits. But most users prefer the vendor because that way they don't have to bother with a file to make their own keys out of a blank and don't have to search for the right key in their keyring. That last would be using PGP or GPG where you have to create and manage your own keys.
Ohhhh... The person doing the backdoor has a limited amount of keys to put in while some random hack has to have close to infinite combinations to break it.

The egg thing was a false mirror imagery where it looks ugly in the front (encrypted) while its beautiful/intact in the back (backdoor)
Thats why i imaged it that way. I think its called a mirage if im correct
 
I guess we'll see how this pans out. America may be pretty stuck up as far as privacy goes, but at least we're not in the talks to ban encrypted messaging. That said, I'm sure that if they ban those services outright, there will be workarounds, like using a VPN or maybe even ones like are used in countries where TOR is outlawed (idk what those are since I've never really used TOR and it's not illegal in my country).
 
The problem with this whole idea is that there is no way to tell what you are doing behind the encrypted app. You might be shopping or banking. And guess what that little padlock in your address bar signifies.

So they will need a backdoor to every money transfer app in existence. Anyone want to bet on how long it takes for a thief to crack it? Hint: think Windows. Or they could just shut the entire country down.
 
The Australian Govt is trying to ban or at least have backdoor access to encrypted messaging apps..
Uh-huh, and they've been trying to do that since Julian Assange. Still ain't nowhere's on it.
I think they're a little too physically close to the CCP and got infected with paranoia.
 
Even If does pass. Is it truly encrypted at that point if they develop a backdoor? Really defeats the purpose of a encryption
Indeed.....look its only being proposed at this stage and im doubtful it will pass..as I hear more ill pass it on..
 
Uh-huh, and they've been trying to do that since Julian Assange. Still ain't nowhere's on it.
I think they're a little too physically close to the CCP and got infected with paranoia.
Sh*t, every app in China may as well be government spyware. Those of us here should never, ever allow that to happen here... However, sly, lying bastards they are, and they'll try to sell it to us as if they're doing us a favor by violating our privacy...
 
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