U.S. Tries to Make It Easier to Wiretap the Internet

We understand the need of law enforcement to be able to follow what criminals or terrorists are are doing but is this new law the Obama Administration wants to pass the way to go?

Several privacy and technology advocates argued that requiring interception capabilities would create holes that would inevitably be exploited by hackers.

Steven M. Bellovin, a Columbia University computer science professor, pointed to an episode in Greece: In 2005, it was discovered that hackers had taken advantage of a legally mandated wiretap function to spy on top officials’ phones, including the prime minister’s.

“I think it’s a disaster waiting to happen,” he said. “If they start building in all these back doors, they will be exploited.”

Would Obama and his Administration have ordered a tap on Republican Leader Boehner the way Obama has attacked him and now sent out the attack dogs to make up rumors? That is one thing that bothers us with the amount of thugs this Administration uses to do the bidding through organizations like SEIU or Nation of Islam that was sent to parts of the Country during the election of 2008. Now we wonder if those Nation of Islam were tied to the New Black Panthers and working together during the primary against Hillary and then in the general election in some places.

This is one of those subjects that it is not clear cut. We will have to see the bill that is submitted before drawing a conclusion. It is important to keep an eye on what happens when they send this bill to Congress. Will there be enough safeguards? Only time will tell.

U.S. Tries to Make It Easier to Wiretap the Internet
By CHARLIE SAVAGE
Published: September 27, 2010

WASHINGTON — Federal law enforcement and national security officials are preparing to seek sweeping new regulations for the Internet, arguing that their ability to wiretap criminal and terrorism suspects is “going dark” as people increasingly communicate online instead of by telephone.

Essentially, officials want Congress to require all services that enable communications — including encrypted e-mail transmitters like BlackBerry, social networking Web sites like Facebook and software that allows direct “peer to peer” messaging like Skype — to be technically capable of complying if served with a wiretap order. The mandate would include being able to intercept and unscramble encrypted messages.

Excerpt: Read More at New York Times