Apple’s new Ios privacy policy makes some bold promises about their technology’s wiretap-resistance, saying that even if Apple wanted to snoop on your messages, they couldn’t, but as EFF co-founder John Gilmore points out, Apple’s asking you to take an awful lot on faith here.
And why do we believe them?
* Because we can read the source code and the protocol descriptions
ourselves, and determine just how secure they are?
* Because they’re a big company and big companies never lie?
* Because they’ve implemented it in proprietary binary software,
and proprietary crypto is always stronger than the company
claims it to be?
* Because they can’t covertly send your device updated software that
would change all these promises, for a targeted individual, or on
a mass basis?
* Because you will never agree to upgrade the software on your
device, ever, no matter how often they send you updates?
* Because this first release of their encryption software has no
security bugs, so you will never need to upgrade it to retain
your privacy?
* Because if a future update INSERTS privacy or security bugs, we
will surely be able to distinguish these updates from future
updates that FIX privacy or security bugs?
* Because if they change their mind and decide to lessen our privacy
for their convenience, or by secret government edict, they will
be sure to let us know?
* Because they have worked hard for years to prevent you from
upgrading the software that runs on their devices so that YOU can
choose it and control it instead of them?
* Because the US export control bureacracy would never try to stop
Apple from selling secure mass market proprietary encryption
products across the border?
* Because the countries that wouldn’t let Blackberry sell phones
that communicate securely with your own corporate servers,
will of course let Apple sell whatever high security non-tappable
devices it wants to?
* Because we’re apple fanboys and the company can do no wrong?
* Because they want to help the terrorists win?
* Because NSA made them mad once, therefore they are on the side
of the public against NSA?
* Because it’s always better to wiretap people after you convince
them that they are perfectly secure, so they’ll spill all their
best secrets?
There must be some other reason, I’m just having trouble thinking of it.
(via David Akin)
(Image: Ausschnitt aus Albrecht Dürers zweiteiligem Gemälde Adam und Eva: Die Schlange überreicht Eva die verbotene Frucht, Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons)
