4 ms·

So, it doesn't, but it does say that GCHQ have carte blanche to break encryption at will without warrant, in clause 187 section 423 - which may as well be the s

So, it doesn't, but it does say that GCHQ have carte blanche to break encryption at will without warrant, in clause 187 section 423 - which may as well be the same thing, given that they can break far more than they let on, as they've more than likely factorised the most commonly used primes in standard implementations of cryptographic protocols.

tehmaco 11y ago
That clause simply adds "make use of" to the beginning of the existing paragraph in the existing legislation[0]: (a)to monitor or interfere with electromagnetic, acoustic and other emissions and any equipment producing such emissions and to obtain and provide information derived from or related to such emissions or equipment and from encrypted material; and They're still bound by the second clause in it: (2)The functions referred to in subsection (1)(a) above shall be exercisable only— (a)in the interests of national security, with particular reference to the defence and foreign policies of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom; or (b)in the interests of the economic well-being of the United Kingdom in relation to the actions or intentions of persons outside the British Islands; or (c)in support of the prevention or detection of serious crime. [0] http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/13/crossheading/gchq http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/13/crossheading/gch...
TheCoelacanth 11y ago
With cryptographic protocols that rely on the difficulty of factoring large semiprimes, aren't you supposed to use primes that no one else has used before? If you use the same primes to make your key, then you would have the same key as someone else.