Government says Zoom is useful for self-isolating ministers who have no access to its ultra secure video-conferencing system
News encryption
UK Spearheads Quantum Key Distribution Breakthrough
Team headed by University of Glasgow develops technique for generating and detecting entangled photons at wavelength less susceptible to solar interference
Intel Hardware-Based Cryptography ‘At Risk’ From New Flaw
Flaw in Converged Security Management Engine could allow attackers to remotely extract root cryptographic key, leading to ‘utter chaos’, researchers warn
US Bill To Clamp Down On End-To-End Encryption
US lawmakers intend to introduce bill in coming weeks that could clamp down on tech firms offering their users end-to-end encryption protection
WhatsApp Hits Two Billion Users, Defends Encryption
Facebook-owned messaging app now used by a staggering 2 billion people, as platform defends its default use of end-to-end encryption
Apple Dropped iCloud Encryption Plan After FBI Pressure – Report
Privacy versus security. FBI complaint two years ago halted Apple’s plans to fully encrypt iCloud backups, it is alleged in a new report
President Trump Slams Apple Over Pensacola Shooter Case
President of the US wades into privacy and encryption case of Apple and the unlocking of iPhones belonging to dead terrorist
Apple Hits Back Over ‘Refusal’ To Unlock Pensacola Shooter’s iPhones
Here we go again. US Attorney General says Apple failed to help unlock terrorist iPhones, but Apple says it has provided all the assistance it can
Google Chat Arrives For US Android Users
Android users in the United States can now access ‘Chat’, but a number of major US carriers have yet to allow RCS to connect to other users
Government Departments Admit Rise In Lost Laptops
FoI requests from Apricorn reveals soaring levels of missing laptops from government departments, with the Ministry Of Justice the chief culprit
US Senators Threaten Tech Firms With Encryption Regulation
Give law enforcement access to encryption or we will regulate the technology, US Senators threaten tech firms Facebook and Apple
Interpol Delays Encryption Condemnation After Opposition
Criticism from civil liberties groups and tech firms halts Interpol’s plan to condemn spread of encryption
Google Cloud Next UK: Google Highlights European Data Protections
Largest Google Cloud event in Europe sees search engine giant commit to enhance European data protection with additional tools
Microsoft Confirms Default DoH Adoption
Microsoft joins Mozilla and Google after confirming it will adopt DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) as browser default
Zuckerberg Hits Back Against Encryption Backdoor Request
The United States, UK, and Australia sign open letter to Facebook saying encryption helps child abuse, as they demand an encryption ‘backdoor’
Researchers Crack PDF Encryption
Two variants of ‘PDFex’ attack could allow PDF documents to be modified so that their contents are automatically exfiltrated to an attacker
Mozilla Strengthens Privacy With DoH Switch On
Another move to strengthen its privacy credentials, as Mozilla gradually switches on DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) for its Firefox browser
Biometrics Database Used By Banks, Police Contains Major Flaw
Data risks highlighted after researchers uncover major breach in biometric database used by police, banks
British Airways Check-In Flaw Exposes Personal Data
BA e-ticketing system flaw exposes passengers details including phone numbers, email addresses etc
Final Decryption Tool Published As ‘GandCrab’ Ransomware Developers Retire
The malware was distributed via a highly successful affiliate nework that saw it at one point accounting for half of all ransomware infections
Tech Firms Oppose GCHQ ‘Ghost’ Encryption Proposal
Apple, Google, Microsoft signal opposition to GCHQ proposal to eavesdrop on encrypted messages
Google Admits To Storing Unhashed Passwords
My bad. Google admission after it stored plain text passwords for 14 years on its internal systems
WhatsApp Discovers ‘Advanced’ Surveillance Hacks
The company urges its 1.5 billion users to update after finding devices were tapped using a vulnerability in the software
Facebook Stored Millions Of Passwords Unprotected
Oh dear. 600 million passwords stored in plain text with no encryption, social network admits
Police Federation Confirms Ransomware Breach
Association of police officers in England and Wales confirms it is the latest to suffer ransomware attack
Mozilla Releases Free File Transfer Service, Firefox Send
Mozilla gives ability for users to send encrypted files up to 2.5Gb in size with launch of Firefox Send
Encrypted Apps Used To Exchange Child Abuse Images – Report
Criminals increasingly utilising encrypted apps, rather than the dark web, to trade child abuse images
Islamic State Lawsuit Against Facebook, Twitter Dismissed
Legal attempt by victims of 2015 San Bernardino shooting to hold tech firms liable, thrown out of court
Australia Passes Controversial Encryption Law
The day online privacy died, as Australia passes law to give police, security services access to encrypted messages
US Government Pressures Facebook Over Messenger Encryption
Officials want Facebook’s help to crack encryption, so they can listen to suspect’s voice conversations