Who needs crypto backdoors when Barbie can spy on you? (credit: Mike Licht)
The so-called "going dark" problem—which various government officials claim will be the death knell to the US because Silicon Valley won't bake crypto backdoors into its wares—is greatly overblown. That's because crime fighters are not in the dark, at least technologically, and are now presented with a vast array of spy tools at their disposal. Specifically, modern espionage is piggybacking on the Internet of Things (IoT) tools, from televisions to toasters, that enable wanton spying.
"The audio and video sensors on IoT devices will open up numerous avenues for government actors to demand access to real-time and recorded communications," according to a Berkman Center for Internet & Society report published Monday. The report added:
Law enforcement or intelligence agencies may start to seek orders compelling Samsung, Google, Mattel, Nest ,or vendors of other networked devices to push an update or flip a digital switch to intercept the ambient communications of a target. These are all real products now. If the Internet of Things has as much impact as is predicted, the future will be even more laden with sensors that can be commandeered for law enforcement surveillance; and this is a world far apart from one in which opportunities for surveillance have gone dark. It is vital to appreciate these trends and to make thoughtful decisions about how pervasively open to surveillance we think our built environments should be—by home and foreign governments, and by the companies who offer the products that are transforming our personal spaces.
The report, "Don't Panic. Making Progress on the 'Going Dark' Debate," (PDF) was produced by scholars and former and current intelligence officials. It highlights that there's plenty of avenues afoot for the authorities to spy on you—crypto backdoors notwithstanding.
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