6 ms·

What?

by swaits 15y ago

What?

smhinsey 15y ago
I think the basic argument is "use a one-time pad" but it assumes that an unencrypted but unique email account meets the same requirements as a cryptographic one-time pad, which I don't think I agree with. That being said, I probably wouldn't use encryption anyway. I wouldn't do anything that might cause my correspondence to receive any further scrutiny whatsoever.
- maqr 15y ago
  You use encryption every day already, you just don't think about it. For all of HTTPS's faults, it's so transparent that you don't even think of it as encrypted communication. If PKI apps and MUAs didn't suck so much, we'd probably all treat email the same way.
  - smhinsey 15y ago
    I would definitely use HTTPS, but that's not really what I had in mind. When I said I wouldn't use encryption I was thinking specifically about PKI stuff like PGP, precisely because like you say, it sucks to use it. Badly enough that I think it would make you stick out and receive additional scrutiny if you did.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
abbasmehdi 15y ago
The idea for a criminal is to mix in with the world not enter in a technological arm wrestling match with a superpower. Their strength is obscurity, not tech muscle - and if they try to fight from that angle then it’s just a matter of time till they lose. The US army cannot hide itself (the pentagon has an address) but it can apply a lot of money in cracking their encryption. Al-Qida cannot invest heavily in R&D but can keep the US army confused by mixing in and out with the general public. This is why a criminal tries to act and behave just like you, a non-criminal, so they mix in with the crowd and get attention off them so they can engage in what they do best, jumping jacks and monkey bars. ;)
- MikeCapone 15y ago
  You can do all that they did AND add encryption on top.
  - abbasmehdi 15y ago
    Uncle Al once said: The best way to get caught is to send an encrypted email from a dusty little Pakistani town's internet cafe once a month (from where no one ever sends encrypted emails). It is like shooting a flare on a dark night.
    - weavejester 15y ago
      And sending a plain-text email discussing terrorist plots is somehow less conspicuous?
      - abbasmehdi 15y ago
        Yes. Been to the mall with a ski mask on during the holiday season before? ;)
        weavejester 15y ago
        You seem to assume that encrypted communications are somehow rare or unusual. A large proportion of internet traffic is encrypted.
        abbasmehdi 15y ago
        You seem to be the product of your area code. Realize/appreciate the difference in surfing habits of a rural Pakistani and yourself?
        weavejester 15y ago
        But why travel miles to a remote rural village to send emails, when you could travel to a larger town that likely has more varied surfing habits, and many more people online?

What?

by swaits 15y ago

What?

I think the basic argument is "use a one-time pad" but it assumes that an unencrypted but unique email account meets the same requirements as a cryptographic one-time pad, which I don't think I agree with. That being said, I probably wouldn't use encryption anyway. I wouldn't do anything that might cause my correspondence to receive any further scrutiny whatsoever.

maqr 15y ago
You use encryption every day already, you just don't think about it. For all of HTTPS's faults, it's so transparent that you don't even think of it as encrypted communication. If PKI apps and MUAs didn't suck so much, we'd probably all treat email the same way.
- smhinsey 15y ago
  I would definitely use HTTPS, but that's not really what I had in mind. When I said I wouldn't use encryption I was thinking specifically about PKI stuff like PGP, precisely because like you say, it sucks to use it. Badly enough that I think it would make you stick out and receive additional scrutiny if you did.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

abbasmehdi 15y ago

The idea for a criminal is to mix in with the world not enter in a technological arm wrestling match with a superpower. Their strength is obscurity, not tech muscle - and if they try to fight from that angle then it’s just a matter of time till they lose. The US army cannot hide itself (the pentagon has an address) but it can apply a lot of money in cracking their encryption. Al-Qida cannot invest heavily in R&D but can keep the US army confused by mixing in and out with the general public. This is why a criminal tries to act and behave just like you, a non-criminal, so they mix in with the crowd and get attention off them so they can engage in what they do best, jumping jacks and monkey bars. ;)

MikeCapone 15y ago
You can do all that they did AND add encryption on top.
- abbasmehdi 15y ago
  Uncle Al once said: The best way to get caught is to send an encrypted email from a dusty little Pakistani town's internet cafe once a month (from where no one ever sends encrypted emails). It is like shooting a flare on a dark night.
  - weavejester 15y ago
    And sending a plain-text email discussing terrorist plots is somehow less conspicuous?
    - abbasmehdi 15y ago
      Yes. Been to the mall with a ski mask on during the holiday season before? ;)
      - weavejester 15y ago
        You seem to assume that encrypted communications are somehow rare or unusual. A large proportion of internet traffic is encrypted.
        abbasmehdi 15y ago
        You seem to be the product of your area code. Realize/appreciate the difference in surfing habits of a rural Pakistani and yourself?
        weavejester 15y ago
        But why travel miles to a remote rural village to send emails, when you could travel to a larger town that likely has more varied surfing habits, and many more people online?