Re: Urgent News Flash

From: Colin Forbes <colin@timewyrm.co.uk>

Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2002 22:56:51 +0000

Sorry for the long post but ..
This from the BBC SCi-Tech pages
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_2027000/2027377.stm)

A controversial internet snooping centre to be opened in the summer by
the UK Government could cause more problems than it solves, experts say.
The National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) will decrypt computer
data and intercepted internet and e-mail traffic as part of a drive
against cyber-crime, reports the technology news magazine, Computing.
It follows a much-criticised law, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers
Act, which came into force in October 2000 and gave law enforcers
sweeping powers to spy on internet communications.
However, government plans to foil cyber criminals could backfire,
according to a member of the Internet Service Providers' Association
(ISPA), Stephen Dyer. "It could prove counter-productive. If the
government is being seen as taking encryption seriously then it will
drive criminals to use encryption more," he said. "Modern encryption is
almost uncrackable, especially in the timescale needed to stop a crime,"
he added.

Much to do
NTAC is also running into other obstacles, as the RIP Act it is designed
to enforce undergoes some serious rewrites. Experts argue that the law
was rushed through parliament without consultation with industry and as
a result is unworkable. Earlier in the year, the government admitted
that the complex process of obtaining encryption keys had not yet fully
been worked out and a public consultation would be necessary. Without a
quick and easy way of getting hold of encryption keys, NTAC would "be
dead in the water", said Mr Dyer.

Black boxes
NTAC will also depend on a controversial network of black boxes,
installed in internet networks and feeding directly into the MI5
building, where the centre will be based. The idea of such boxes caused
outrage when it was suggested. Despite being included in the RIP Act, no
internet service provider (ISP) has yet been required by government to
install such a surveillance system. Officials now admit that secondary
legislation will be necessary before ISPs can be made to install black
boxes. Even then, ISPs will have recourse to an independent body if they
feel it is too costly which could mean significant delays.
Without such boxes, it will be impossible for NTAC will get its hands on
web communications. Ultimately, the government's plans for NTAC might be
just too ambitious, said Mr Dyer. "The government wants to plug into the
internet and grab everything they want from it. That might work for the
intelligence services but I'm not sure it will for law enforcement," he
said.

Loss of intelligence
Despite this the government insists that NTAC is a necessary tool in its
fight against cyber-crime. "Without an appropriate response, rapid
developments in information technology with communications increasingly
travelling from computer-to-computer and information protected by
encryption will lead to a considerable loss of intelligence from
lawfully intercepted communications and evidence from lawfully seized
material," read a Home Office statement.
Much of NTAC's resources will go into tracking terrorist activity and
paedophiles, both of which use the web to communicate. The drive to step
up surveillance of the internet has increased since the terrorist
attacks on 11 September. In May, the European Parliament voted in favour
of forcing phone companies and internet service providers to retain for
years logs on what all their customers are doing.

References

Re: Urgent News Flash
Jason Paul McCartan <jasonm@mindshiftdesign.com>
Wed, 05 Jun 2002 11:26:32 +0000
Re: Urgent News Flash
Colin Forbes <colin@timewyrm.co.uk>
Wed, 05 Jun 2002 12:58:14 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Urgent News Flash
Jason Paul McCartan <jasonm@mindshiftdesign.com>
Wed, 05 Jun 2002 11:26:32 +0000
Re: Urgent News Flash
Colin Forbes <colin@timewyrm.co.uk>
Wed, 05 Jun 2002 12:58:14 +0000