Reply to post: Forcing software modification

GCHQ pushes for 'virtual crocodile clips' on chat apps – the ability to silently slip into private encrypted comms

Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward

Forcing software modification

Basically they are trying to do what the FBI tried to get Apple to do, but on a grand scale that would allow them to snoop anything they wanted. At least the FBI's "request" was to get into a single phone, though of course we all know the slippery slope that would have led to.

Because there's no way the GCHQ would settle for having to request to be added to a conversation in real time, or even being automatically added to every conversation with a given end point. They might say that's what they want now, but eventually they'd say the process is too cumbersome and they need to be able to add themselves to any number of calls they want to at any time, because "what if there's an active threat in downtown London and we don't know who the suspects are, we need to be able to look at all calls in a wide area to find the one that's of interest to save lives".

No matter what intelligence services propose for eavesdropping encrypted comms, even if it seems "reasonable" at first glance, there's always a slippery slope immediately behind it.

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