back to article UK spies: You know how we said bulk device hacking would be used sparingly? Well, things have 'evolved'...

UK spies are planning to increase their use of bulk equipment interference, as the range of encrypted hardware and software applications they can't tap into increases. Equipment interference (EI) – formerly known as computer network exploitation – is the phrase used for spies poking around in devices, like phones or computers …

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  1. FuzzyWuzzys

    Laughable

    As usual it always comes down to, "Give 'em an inch...".

    They paint so much lipstick on their pig but fact is that no matter what powers they manage to finagle out of the government they will never be happy until they have the right to know every tiny detail about our lives at the push of a buttonm, preferably with no government oversight. The really sad fact is they don't do it 'cos they need the info as they claim, they do it to ensure they can secure their dept budgets each year. GCHQ, MI5, MI6, etc are like any other company dept, they need to justify their worth in their yearly review and claiming they've foiled and caught X number of terrorists, paedos and other ne'er do wells is what they have to do.

    I fully support the fact that we need secret services to keep the country and our enemies under a watchful eye but "ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat" ( 'the burden of proof is on the one who declares, not on one who denies' ).

    1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

      Not Really a Laughable Matter whenever So Much is Revealed Exposed and Exploitable

      The abiding problem the likes of all GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 type operations have, and which always renders their activities stop-gap reactionary rather than enlightened evolutionary and revolutionary, is they have no practical influence on information and intelligence from future forces and irregular and unconventional sources which are able to freely share their thoughts universally with everyone in an instant via their appearance/presentation in print and media.

      It is why in the past books were burned to try and keep populations dumb and intellectually oppressed and depressed/repressed.

      Nowadays though that modus operandi/vivendi is ridiculously easily circumvented and not available as a guaranteed successful Great Game Play.

      And indeed, in deed does it immediately target and highlight that which is a Subject of Interest to be further investigated and shared out of the shadows in the light of day?

      And shared there as a question for disagreement to have an impotent voice and nervous breakdown ‽ .

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re:an impotent voice and nervous breakdown

        Nervous breakdown, yes.

        Engineers rule the modern world, if they but take up their mantle of responsibility.

  2. Potemkine! Silver badge

    Translation

    When someone writes "bulk EI is likely to be only sparingly used", read "bulk EI will be massively used".

  3. Cliff Thorburn

    “And shared there as a question for disagreement to have an impotent voice and nervous breakdown ‽”

    The truth is amfM there now exists such a degree of injustice that a nervous breakdown happened long ago, as well as other severe health issues, although in reality the one making such an apology and restitution should be those imposing persistent punishment on a person suffering from that which could be deemed as Stratbourg Syndrome and simply attempting to find an almighty solution to end such an impractical imprisonment.

    Any suggestions on forward ideas are welcome, as clearly taking the route of trying to show loyalty to ones country is a titanic error.

    1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

      Re: Titanic Errors Leading with Novel Opportunities to Exploit and Expand Upon?

      That sums up succinctly the present persistent geopolitical situation and Earthly humanised dilemma, CT.

      And with particular and peculiar regard to .....

      Any suggestions on forward ideas are welcome, as clearly taking the route of trying to show loyalty to ones country is a titanic error.

      ...... be here a suggestion.

      Surreal Solutions change realities for media hosting and universal presentation/future introduction ...... https://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/2/2018/12/07/bofh_2018_episode_12/#c_3674335 ..... which be readily available to all for exercising with enlightened views and greater sees?

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Isn't "bulk device hacking" a waste of time?

    Quote: "...the range of encrypted hardware and software applications they can't tap into increases..."

    *

    "tap into" -- Always the assumption that there's a point-to-point channel to "tap into". Always the assumption there's some service provider (Facebook, Twitter, Apple, telco) with "software" who can be coerced into providing access and "backdoors".

    *

    Hint: Bad guys might have read this -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beale_ciphers

    Hint: Bad guys might have cooked up their own cipher

    Hint: Bad guys might not be using identifyable end points

    Hint: See below.

    *

    0B2824B1E63D72521B7F4360C149892690D16A92

    5FB0A472981B016364BA71FDF036A616C486A07B

    214704072723EC85669C121DD32CA04126F5A4F7

    068F54BE6738E802FFCD11147552916BDCB381E3

    4A98546478380975B4732F4300959449B4C31F1D

    402E9444FD5D2990CB1A03E5D2133340BAF64756

    7500C063A24D1D42224B3198859F13081BB01AC5

    39F4A47843501FC5132423FF81E7254B95F366E9

    489D6417C552A9D32FDF0EAF8605B9213AC13DCB

    489C525657518B973908519A30DB3C62A8437814

    4B0D3355A548F3E3D6F70007B0BD670009631CE4

    033D9

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Interfering with another's "equipment" is trespassing against them.

    They do it to our own and to others for "national security", but exactly who's security is that?

    The powerful are entrenched, rivals are undermined. The sheeple protest but obey. For now.

  6. sitta_europea Silver badge

    If I wanted to send something confidentially, I'd pop along to the Post Office and buy a stamp.

  7. Wolfclaw

    I bet GCHQ already have a tamed judge ready to rubberstamp any request or his privates suddenly get leaked to the public !

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