Happy new year. Let's start as we mean to go on ....

[somanyholes]

Police set to step up hacking of home PCs

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5439604.ece

This is wrong on so many levels.

[Steve]

I agree, not that I have anything to fear,however I wonder how effective the standard hardware and software security that many PC users use will be.

[J!ll]

 

[somanyholes]

as effective as it usually is. Which is probably not very. No doubt the gov will ask security vendors to exclude their code from alerting the end user.

[Rik]

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) said such intrusive surveillance was closely regulated under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act

Well that's OK, then. This would be the same RIPA that councils have been using to snoop on people?

[kinmel]

Extremism Governments have always seen what they do as being reasonable because "The Project" is too important to be delayed by trifles such as democracy, freedom and privacy.

They also like to create more and more crimes for which they can imprison you.

In 1997 who would have thought St Tony was about to set up the most illiberal regime the UK has ever known ?

[somanyholes]

They also like to create more and more crimes for which they can imprison you.

interesting read that. Is this why our prison's are so full today

[Rik]

It does seem that liberty is a price this Govt is willing to pay for an ordered society, doesn't it.

[somanyholes]

ordered according to their own idea of law, as opposed to anyone else's.....

[Rik]

Indeed. Makes you want to emigrate, doesn't it.

[Simon]

I guess the security software vendors will be busy after reading that.  It does appear to be dependant on them installing the spyware on your PC, which isn't that easy for security aware users, with good solid protection.  Other than breaking into your house, of course!

[Rik]

Being an agoraphobic might have its advantages.

[Simon]

[D-Dan]

What's the worry? It's a government initiative. They break in, they steal your data, they lose it...and 18 months later a backbencher exposes their loss and the tabloids tell the world about it.

I'm not at all worried.

Steve

[Rik]

 

Good point, Steve.

[somanyholes]

might be of interest

http://blogs.hackerscenter.com/2009/01/police-backdoors.html

this bit sounds about right

Symantec declined to comment on whether it would block a police hack, saying the matter was "politically sensitive". However, the security vendor has said in the past that it would not scan for the FBI's Magic Lantern keystroke-logging software.

[Rik]

I can't argue with the logic, So, the real question is 'will security vendors tell us whether they are co-operating'? To my mind, it would be financial suicide to do so, so my best is that they won't say at all, leaving us to wonder if we are truly safe.

[kinmel]

I can't argue with the logic, So, the real question is 'will security vendors tell us whether they are co-operating'? To my mind, it would be financial suicide to do so, so my best is that they won't say at all, leaving us to wonder if we are truly safe.

So we need to run 2 security systems side by side, in the hope that they both don't roll over on the same day.

I am not sure anyone can keep such things secret anymore, their control of the proletariat is weakening every year.

[Rik]

They'll try, Alan, commercial confidentiality and all that.

[Sebby]

How long before they can search our homes without a warrant?

[Rik]

If they can break in to plant a keylogger without one, Seb, I think the point is moot.