TPLACs go up in flames!!!! – Back on Communication…
India reiterated to BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion, and other companies providing encryption in their products, that they will have to be open to internal security and intelligence services if they wish to continue operating.
Other companies face the same problems including Skype, Hushmail, Vonage, Apple, Nokia, Microsoft, Cisco and soon the Navajo Code Talkers.
I get their security threat and the pain they have suffered at the hands of extremists. But the threat to life and limb for private citizens is real as well as the threat to Intellectual Property and Critical Information – aka commercial espionage
RIM has provided to Indian intelligence agencies the ability to intercept BlackBerry Messenger a favorite service for the underground student movement around the world, but RIM – nor anyone else can give key to encrypted or encode communication of acquired through third party providers.
Now even iPhone has encryption applications – what is a spy service to do? What is a executive protection specialist to do.
As of late the list of countries censoring and cutting off communications include, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, China (big time), Egypt, Iran, Algeria, Libya, Syria, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Burma, North Korea… The common theme is that a single government – king, dictators, president for life, runs these countries. Oddly enough these are also the countries in which an outsider can expect more than their average share of trouble.
The TPLAC is a “wink, wink – nod, nod” to a program Called Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. You’ll figure it out.