Everyone in the tech industry facepalms almost every time legislators try to pontificate on technology, but the British government appears to be trying to set a new record. After putting iMessage and FaceTime at risk, the government is now suggesting that it might ban some Apple security updates.
https://www.justsecurity.org/87615/changes-to-uk-surveillance-regime-may-violate-international-law/
Linking to the original article and not an article summarizing the article.
The court issue is that the UK government wants service providers in the UK to request permission to apply updates including security updates. And they may deny that permission if whatever they’re fixing is currently in use by their national security service.
Ie if the government wants it broken so they can keep exploiting it they will prevent anybody from getting patched.
deleted by creator
Or deny that request, and turn the bug to a back door.
Removed by mod
I much appreciate your TLDR and agree with the take… but manipulating the thread is a 1st class express ticket to my blocklist ☹️👋
Removed by mod
Removed by mod
Removed by mod
Is there no limit?
Ok so Apple would have to disclose the vulnerability to follow proposed EU rules then can’t implement the fix in UK? That seems like a disaster waiting to happen
Imagine Apple shares a patch and the UK does not approve the install. Ok nice. Now everyone knows a vulnerability that affects most of the Apple devices in UK. What could go wrong.
The UK did allow Brexit to happen, they haven’t exactly been making the best decisions.
Hey now, we may be dumb and we may be obstinate but I’m tired time for bed grumble grumble
I was expecting this to be a half-baked plan to block something using a less-than-half-baked definition that would also cover security updates.
The fact that someone actually thinks explicitly blocking security updates is a good idea is just appalling.
Under the latest plans, tech companies would need to notify the British government before rolling out a security fix but might be refused permission if it blocks a vulnerability that’s being exploited by security services…
I suppose these days it’s cheaper to find some half baked vulnerability and pray it lasts a while instead of just adding back doors in the devices
That’s the stupidest fucking thing I’ve heard from a government that seems to take pride in how stupid and authoritarian their legislation can get. They’re giving the US a run for it’s money.
If the reason is actually for leaving 0days open then it is actually for the USA. Since the USA spies on foreign citizens such as UK citizens, the UK spies on the USA citizens.
Because otherwise it would be illegal. Or something.
Or wait the service provider submit a fix, deny it, and then exploit. Even cheaper than find one cuz they just need to wait to be summitted.
Hospital emergency rooms across the UK are likely to be declaring a major incident to deal with the rash of injuries caused by the force of facepalming and banging heads against desks throughout the tech sector.
The NHS is struggling enough as it is.
This might have worked a decade ago. Companies are EXTREMELY hot on device patches now. I work for a big company and we have a week to install the latest iOS patches on our phone. We get regular updates when software is out. If windows gets a certain patch behind the system can’t update, it requires a full flash.
The same with banning encryption, the average Joe might not care but big companies have a lot to protect in IP and legally. Imagine a US company wanting send IP to a UK company for design/validation/manufacturing. They just won’t because our devices/networks will be vulnerable to IP being stolen
They would need to put the IP on a flash drive and hand deliver it like it was the 1970’s.
Welcome to the world of British politics. When their advisor on drugs, the scientist prof David Nutt, pointed out that riding a horse is statistically known to be more dangerous than MDMA he was summarily dismissed from his post. These people don’t want inconvenient facts to spoil their Victorian era conception of reality. So it will go with their absurd and pernicious spying charter.
Reminds me of a quote I have always enjoyed:
“We know no spectacle so ridiculous as the British public in one of its periodical fits of morality.” Thomas B. MacCaulay
Surveillance state.
They want to end the “”“British Empire”“” once and for all. It’s a long term plan that started with Brexit.
Is Britain as relevant nowadays as people think tho?
Every day we sink further into irrelevance. Look at the fate of Greece. Their culture and contributions to mathematics, philosophy and literature created the foundations of modern civilization. Now they are a holiday destination and not much else.
Well, you guys don’t even have holiday destination going for you. Good luck lads.
I don’t think , that’s why the quotes on British Empire half joking, but let’s be honest I am clueless here maybe they are more relevant than I think they are.
There are those who think Britain is still great. That is why they could convince so many to vote for Brexit.
But since the world has become so interconnected, and Britain has lost all its colonies, it won’t be capable of dealing with the world on its own anymore.
Some needed Brexit in order to come to that conclusion.
When you have submarines with nuclear missiles on them, you remain pretty damn relevant.
North Korea relevant then?
Lol @ their intelligence agencies telling them that this is a bad idea & them going ahead anyway
nsa is happy
Add to the law that all politicians phone data must be shared with the tax payer.
