5 ms·

They could also do it regardless of whether or not Microsoft owns them or whatever favorite acronym authorizes them, or whatever. I've never understood why peop

They could also do it regardless of whether or not Microsoft owns them or whatever favorite acronym authorizes them, or whatever. I've never understood why people love freaking out about this stuff. If the NSA felt like spying on you, pro tip, they're gonna be able to do it. If you care about keeping your shit secure, it shouldn't be on the internet at all.

Kenji 8y ago
Well at least we can make it a little difficult on them, can't we? I love presenting others a challenge!
amelius 8y ago
> If the NSA felt like spying on you, pro tip, they're gonna be able to do it. True, but I suppose it matters how easy/difficult it is for them to do that.
- cdelsolar 8y ago
  The NSA is not god, they can't break 2048-bit TLS encryption no matter how many computers they have.
  - partycoder 8y ago
    There's theory, design and implementation. Maybe in theory it is safe, but implementations are often not safe. An oversimplified way to see this is that your software runs on an OS which runs on a processor. Your processor is backdoored (Intel ME and equivalent), your OS is backdoored, the entropy for your crypto is backdoored (Intel RDRAND instruction), your crypto algorithm implementation is backdoored. So there are infinite resources for them to hack you at any moment for any reason. You have already gave them the keys to everything.
  - 2trill2spill 8y ago
    > The NSA is not god, they can't break 2048-bit TLS encryption no matter how many computers they have. 2048 bit TLS encryption? You mean 2048 bit RSA encryption? Also what source do you have that says the NSA can not crack a 2048 bit RSA key? Last I checked that info was non public and there is no definitive, credible source saying whether they can or can not crack 2048 RSA keys.
    - cdelsolar 8y ago
      Yes I meant RSA key, sorry. My source is that 2^2048 is an enormous number and the time estimate for a desktop computer to crack it is in the quadrillions of years. Yes, I know the NSA has higher computing power than a desktop computer.
      - tfha 8y ago
        Don't need 2^2048 to crack RSA 2048. There's a saying "every time a grad student looks at rsa the recommended key length increases."
flamtap 8y ago
>If you care about keeping your shit secure, it shouldn't be on the internet at all. If only we lived in a world where this was practical. I don't think it's unreasonable to be concerned about privacy this way, or to take issue with the possibility that this acquisition could make it easier for one to be spied on or surveilled. However, we should also cautious that our tin foil hats do not grow too heavy.
tekknik 8y ago
So just roll over and become complacent? The last time a gov pushed their bounds too much a new country had to be made to stop it.

Kenji 8y ago

Well at least we can make it a little difficult on them, can't we? I love presenting others a challenge!

amelius 8y ago

> If the NSA felt like spying on you, pro tip, they're gonna be able to do it. True, but I suppose it matters how easy/difficult it is for them to do that.

cdelsolar 8y ago
The NSA is not god, they can't break 2048-bit TLS encryption no matter how many computers they have.
- partycoder 8y ago
  There's theory, design and implementation. Maybe in theory it is safe, but implementations are often not safe. An oversimplified way to see this is that your software runs on an OS which runs on a processor. Your processor is backdoored (Intel ME and equivalent), your OS is backdoored, the entropy for your crypto is backdoored (Intel RDRAND instruction), your crypto algorithm implementation is backdoored. So there are infinite resources for them to hack you at any moment for any reason. You have already gave them the keys to everything.
- 2trill2spill 8y ago
  > The NSA is not god, they can't break 2048-bit TLS encryption no matter how many computers they have. 2048 bit TLS encryption? You mean 2048 bit RSA encryption? Also what source do you have that says the NSA can not crack a 2048 bit RSA key? Last I checked that info was non public and there is no definitive, credible source saying whether they can or can not crack 2048 RSA keys.
  - cdelsolar 8y ago
    Yes I meant RSA key, sorry. My source is that 2^2048 is an enormous number and the time estimate for a desktop computer to crack it is in the quadrillions of years. Yes, I know the NSA has higher computing power than a desktop computer.
    - tfha 8y ago
      Don't need 2^2048 to crack RSA 2048. There's a saying "every time a grad student looks at rsa the recommended key length increases."

flamtap 8y ago

>If you care about keeping your shit secure, it shouldn't be on the internet at all. If only we lived in a world where this was practical. I don't think it's unreasonable to be concerned about privacy this way, or to take issue with the possibility that this acquisition could make it easier for one to be spied on or surveilled. However, we should also cautious that our tin foil hats do not grow too heavy.

tekknik 8y ago

So just roll over and become complacent? The last time a gov pushed their bounds too much a new country had to be made to stop it.