4 ms·

So what if DEA can't decrypt it? The real question is: Can the NSA decrypt it?

pyre 14y ago
Depends on what you are doing. I doubt that the NSA would tip their hand that they could decrypt such things even in the case of child pornographers. Anything that would be taken into open court would shine light onto where evidence, etc came from. The real danger from NSA decryption would be in their storage facilities. What you say now could come back to haunt you in the future depending on the political climate (e.g. the US falls into a police state where political prisoners are taken, etc).
declan 14y ago
Additional questions: Given that the DEA is more likely to reveal its methods in court intentionally or unintentionally (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9741357-7.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9741357-7.html), even if the NSA can decrypt iMessage communications, why in the world would they share this knowledge with law enforcement? It's a modern version of the Ultra intercepts/Coventry blitz (now called into question). The NSA might risk revealing its methods if it would stop the next 9/11. To put a meth dealer in jail? Not a chance.
- pi18n 14y ago
  > The NSA might risk revealing its methods if it would stop the next 9/11. I think the government would need to be in mortal peril otherwise before they reveal they broke RSA, assuming that they have. To stop a 9/11-type attack they would probably fake some information leak from the other side.
logn 14y ago
Well, drug dealers/users would care about that distinction.
koenigdavidmj 14y ago
The NSA can reveal exactly once that they can decrypt a given encryption algorithm. They're not going to waste that on something trivial.
tomjen3 14y ago
If they could they wouldn't tip their hand -- the ability to decrypt iMessages would be too important.
betterunix 14y ago
The NSA is not a paramilitary force, they are a signals intelligence agency. The DEA is a paramilitary force with a large signals intelligence division, and they routinely send their soldiers to attack American homes. That is why we should be concerned about their ability to read our personal communications: they might use an intercepted message to justify a raid.
rayiner 14y ago
People worry about what the NSA knows, but you should be worried about what the DEA knows.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]

pyre 14y ago

Depends on what you are doing. I doubt that the NSA would tip their hand that they could decrypt such things even in the case of child pornographers. Anything that would be taken into open court would shine light onto where evidence, etc came from. The real danger from NSA decryption would be in their storage facilities. What you say now could come back to haunt you in the future depending on the political climate (e.g. the US falls into a police state where political prisoners are taken, etc).

declan 14y ago

Additional questions: Given that the DEA is more likely to reveal its methods in court intentionally or unintentionally (http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9741357-7.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9741357-7.html), even if the NSA can decrypt iMessage communications, why in the world would they share this knowledge with law enforcement? It's a modern version of the Ultra intercepts/Coventry blitz (now called into question). The NSA might risk revealing its methods if it would stop the next 9/11. To put a meth dealer in jail? Not a chance.

pi18n 14y ago
> The NSA might risk revealing its methods if it would stop the next 9/11. I think the government would need to be in mortal peril otherwise before they reveal they broke RSA, assuming that they have. To stop a 9/11-type attack they would probably fake some information leak from the other side.

logn 14y ago

Well, drug dealers/users would care about that distinction.

koenigdavidmj 14y ago

The NSA can reveal exactly once that they can decrypt a given encryption algorithm. They're not going to waste that on something trivial.

tomjen3 14y ago

If they could they wouldn't tip their hand -- the ability to decrypt iMessages would be too important.

betterunix 14y ago

The NSA is not a paramilitary force, they are a signals intelligence agency. The DEA is a paramilitary force with a large signals intelligence division, and they routinely send their soldiers to attack American homes. That is why we should be concerned about their ability to read our personal communications: they might use an intercepted message to justify a raid.

rayiner 14y ago

People worry about what the NSA knows, but you should be worried about what the DEA knows.

deleted 14y ago

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