[FYI] (Fwd) [GILC-plan] British Net spying centre criticized

["Axel H Horns" <horns@ipjur.com>]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:           	Chris Chiu <CCHIU@aclu.org>
To:             	gilc-plan@gilc.org
Date sent:      	Fri, 7 Jun 2002 10:58:54 -0400 
Subject:        	[GILC-plan] British Net spying centre criticized

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_2027000/2027377.stm

A controversial internet snooping centre to be opened in the summer by
the UK Government could cause more problems than it solves, experts
say. 

The National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) will decrypt computer
data and intercepted internet and e-mail traffic as part of a drive
against cyber-crime, reports the technology news magazine, Computing. 

It follows a much-criticised law, the Regulation of Investigatory
Powers Act, which came into force in October 2000 and gave law
enforcers sweeping powers to spy on internet communications. 

However, government plans to foil cyber criminals could backfire,
according to a member of the Internet Service Providers' Association
(ISPA), Stephen Dyer. 

"It could prove counter-productive. If the government is being seen as
taking encryption seriously then it will drive criminals to use
encryption more," he said. 

"Modern encryption is almost uncrackable, especially in the timescale
needed to stop a crime," he added. 

NTAC is also running into other obstacles, as the RIP Act it is
designed to enforce undergoes some serious rewrites. 

Experts argue that the law was rushed through parliament without
consultation with industry and as a result is unworkable. 

Earlier in the year, the government admitted that the complex process
of obtaining encryption keys had not yet fully been worked out and a
public consultation would be necessary. 

Without a quick and easy way of getting hold of encryption keys, NTAC
would "be dead in the water", said Mr Dyer. 

NTAC will also depend on a controversial network of black boxes,
installed in internet networks and feeding directly into the MI5
building, where the centre will be based. 

The idea of such boxes caused outrage when it was suggested. Despite
being included in the RIP Act, no internet service provider (ISP) has
yet been required by government to install such a surveillance system.


Officials now admit that secondary legislation will be necessary
before ISPs can be made to install black boxes. 

Even then, ISPs will have recourse to an independent body if they feel
it is too costly which could mean significant delays. 

Without such boxes, it will be impossible for NTAC will get its hands
on web communications. 

Ultimately, the government's plans for NTAC might be just too
ambitious, said Mr Dyer. 

"The government wants to plug into the internet and grab everything
they want from it. That might work for the intelligence services but
I'm not sure it will for law enforcement," he said. ...

Sincerely,
Christopher Chiu
Global Internet Liberty Campaign Organizer
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street
New York NY 10004
USA
Phone: (212) 549-2535
Email: cchiu@aclu.org 

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