IP: Privacy: Dangers of security measures

["Vladimir Z. Nuri" <vznuri@netcom.com>]

From: believer@telepath.com
Subject: IP: Privacy: Dangers of security measures
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 09:38:16 -0600
To: believer@telepath.com

Source:  Federal Computer Week
http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1998/1026/web-epic-10-26-98.html

 OCTOBER 26, 1998 . . . 16:35 EST 

 Privacy watchdog group warns about dangers of
 security measures

 BY HEATHER HARRELD (heather@fcw.com)

 The recommendations of a presidential commission for protecting the
nation's critical computer systems -- many of which are being launched by
various federal entities -- would expand government authority and lead to
civil liberty violations, according to a report released today by a privacy
think tank.

 The report, authored by the Electronic Privacy Information Center, asserts
that the expanded role of the Defense Department and the FBI required to
ward off perceived information warfare threats to the nation's critical
infrastructures would infringe upon various civil liberties, such as
freedom of speech, privacy protections and the Freedom of Information Act. 

 Specifically, Wayne Madsen, senior fellow at EPIC and author of the
report, noted that the National Security Agency and other intelligence
agencies would have their roles expanded from collecting international
intelligence data to focusing efforts on domestic computer security.

 Traditionally, the NSA has been prohibited from playing a role in the
protection of unclassified computer security data. But because
infrastructure protection involves working closely with the private-sector
owners and operators of infrastructure, such as telecommunications
companies and banks, this role would be expanded.

 The report from the President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure
Protection supported the use of key-recovery encryption, a technology
mechanism strongly supported by the NSA that would allow law enforcement
officials to descramble encrypted data with a court order or other
authorization.

 It also suggests that the federal government create new classifications
for government information and provide federal agencies with expanded
latitude for classifying information, according to Madsen.

 "The intelligence community...has had its sights set on restricting access
to public information for years," Madsen said. "There's been a struggle
between NSA and civilian agencies over who will be responsible for
protecting unclassified information. NSA [in commission recommendations]
will become the de facto information security czar."

 But Jeffrey Hunker, director of the Critical Infrastructure Assurance
Office, which was created by President Clinton to carry out many of the
recommendations in the commission's report, said his office places First
Amendment and civil liberty concerns foremost in its work.

 "We are dealing with a new and evolving threat environment," Hunker said.
"Discussions about civil liberties need to recognize the fact that there
are new threats that pose real risks to Americans at home...and their way
of life." 

Mail questions to webmaster@fcw.com
Copyright 1998 FCW Government Technology Group
-----------------------
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is
distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior
interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and
educational purposes only. For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
-----------------------


****************************************************
To subscribe or unsubscribe, email:
     majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com
with the message:
     (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address

or (un)subscribe ignition-point-digest email@address
****************************************************
www.telepath.com/believer
****************************************************