Re: [compute] Re: [d@DCC] Census sense

From: "tOM Trottier" <tOM _-at-_ Abacurial.com>
To: "General Copyright Discussions \qquestions, organizing, etc\"" <discuss (at) list.digital-copyright.ca>
Date: Mon, 08 May 2006 04:39:42 -0400
References: <445E4BC9.6259.12CFEB4E@tOM.Abacurial.com>

On Sunday, May 07, 2006 at 18:04,
Nathaniel Olsen <discuss@list.digital-copyright.ca> wrote:

> Well if they don't actually have access to our personal data, then  
> security of personal data is a non-issue.

Well, we haven't given Lockheed Martin the key, but if they designed and manufactured the  
lock?...

> The lack of audit of the software is an issue of course, not more so than  
> any other proprietary software, but definitely an issue.
> Whether the software has access to your computer is only a part of the  
> lack of audit.  The method of inducing access is not relevant to the  
> actual software.  This is an issue in any online census.
> 
> So the real problems are A: forces people to use Microsoft, which  
> essentially gives Microsoft a state monopoly.
> B: software that is being deployed widely by the government needs to be  
> checked for security intensely.
>
> Is that about right?  Are there any logical flaws in either of those two  
> problems?

Largely.

tOM
 
> On Sun, 07 May 2006 17:34:33 -0600, tOM Trottier <tOM@Abacurial.com> wrote:
> 
> > That, and the other problems raised:
> >
> > *   There is no public or even 3rd party audit of the software, which  
> > runs on each PC that logs into
> > the Census site. The security policy is not published. Since some  
> > software must be downloaded
> > and is easily dissected by experts, it would be safer for the security  
> > measures and code to be
> > made public so their effectiveness can be assessed and critiqued by  
> > professionals and privacy
> > groups.
> >
> > *   The software part, which runs on the user's computer using Java, is  
> > given complete access to
> > the computer. If there is a flaw in the software, or phishers or spyware  
> > perpetrators induce access
> > (e.g., via slightly misspelled web domains) of compromised copies of the  
> > software, bad things can
> > happen. The user's computer can have its files damaged or deleted, or  
> > the whole computer even
> > be taken over to deliver spam or viruses, spy on the activity of the  
> > user or the network it is on,
> > even collect credit card numbers.
> >
> > tOM
> >
> > On Sunday, May 07, 2006 at 17:28,
> > Nathaniel Olsen <discuss@list.digital-copyright.ca> wrote:
> >
> >> So lockheed does not have access to our data?  The details available to
> >> the patriot act are not personal data, but descriptions of how personal
> >> data would be stored?  Is this seriously the only problem?
> >>
> >> On Sun, 07 May 2006 17:22:25 -0600, tOM Trottier <tOM@Abacurial.com>  
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> > What laws of ours apply to Lockheed Martin in the States? They aren't
> >> > processing our Census
> >> > data. But they had some involvement making the hardware and/or writing
> >> > the software, whose
> >> > details could be requested in the US under the Patriot Act. Then CIA
> >> > agents could do the digging
> >> > and finagling. Or their contractors.
> >> > tOM
> >> >
> >> > On Sunday, May 07, 2006 at 16:32,
> >> > Nathaniel Olsen <discuss@list.digital-copyright.ca> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Is not the Canadian census still under purview of Canadian privacy  
> >> laws?
> >> >> Haven't we already seen cases where outsourcing personal data to the  
> >> US
> >> >> was found in violation of Canadian privacy laws?  Anyone remember the
> >> >> references?
> > ...
> >
> > ---
> >
> >           -- Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur --
> >    ,__@ 	tOM Trottier, 758 Albert St,
> >  _-\_<, 	Ottawa ON Canada  K1R 7V8
> > (*)/'(*)	N45.412 W75.714 +1 613 860-6633
> > 		Seattle: +1 206 350-6633
> >                 Abacurial Information Architecture
> >                             SETI stats
> >
> >                 This world, after all our science and
> >              sciences, is still a miracle; wonderful,
> >            inscrutable, magical and more, to whosoever
> >                 will think of it. --Thomas Carlyle
> >
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Nathaniel Olsen
> --
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-- Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur --
   ,__@ 	tOM Trottier
 _-\_<, 	758 Albert St., Ottawa ON Canada  K1R 7V8
(*)/'(*)	N45.412 W75.714 	+1 613 860-6633
<a href="http://Abacurial.com">Abacurial Information Architecture</a>
     Q,  Q,
    </  </    	This world, after all our science and sciences, is still 
 (`-/---/-')		a miracle; wonderful, inscrutable, magical and more, 
~~@~~~~@~~~~~~	to whosoever will think of it. --Thomas Carlyle



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