Hi
I worked with Neville out of New Zealand for a while debating whether to use
IETF for standards. I had some misgivings. Got as far as posting patent
notifications on your site and then there were legal issues because engineers
want to change code etc.
Given your choice of key note speakers, knowing nothing about him other than
what he self promotes, kind of confirms my judgement.'
Let's see whether as journalists you are even handed.
Andre Brisson
--
http://wnlabs.com/news/SlashDot_integrity_2.php
The public should question the real motives of Eric Snowden and Bruce Schneier
as well as NSA
By Richard H.L. Marshall, former Director of Global Cyber Security Management,
National Cyber Security Division, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and
André Brisson, founder Whitenoise Laboratories Canada Inc.
Washington D.C. USA, Geneva, Switzerland and Vancouver, BC Canada – Almost
daily, Mr. Bruce Schneier has generated incessant buzz about privacy and the
National Security Agency (NSA) on his blog. From the sheer volume of his
self-proclaimed insight and that of his sycophants, he would have us believe,
like Chicken Little, that the sky is falling.
It appears that one of the sources of Mr. Schneier’s information are documents
leaked by E.Snowden, fugitive American living in Russia and former contractor
with Booz Allen Hamilton, and Glenn Greenwald, a journalist who worked with Mr.
Snowden. Mr. Schneier’s intentions clearly have nothing to do with his
convictions about privacy, as much as business and profit motives. It must be
emphasized that blogs are not journalism: they are marketing tools specifically
designed to try to sell a product, not to get to the truth.
Weeks of research regarding Mr. Schneier’s claims have highlighted one of the
most frustrating problems with the internet age. Because virtually anyone
lacking serious journalistic credentials can, and often does, write or post
freely on any subject, the resulting sheer volume of information available may
lead people to believe that the reporting is even-handed and well-researched.
Unfortunately, in many circumstances nothing can be farther from the truth.
We are currently wrestling with the wrongly defined issue of Privacy versus
Security. Rather we should be asking ourselves how we balance Privacy AND
Security. They are not mutually exclusive.
Balancing privacy and security is one of the most pressing issues of our age,
with far-reaching impact on democracy. It is also ever changing and evolving in
real time, in response to terrorists, criminals, and dangerous malcontents.
Because the very information analyzed and evaluated may result in policy, it
absolutely demands that such information be subject to the highest and most
stringent scrutiny and as such, deserves to be evaluated and vetted by verified
experts, politicians, business leaders, and citizens with proven track records
of integrity, honesty, and true concern for the public interest. It should not
be done by those with a history of practicing self-interest over privacy and
security.
For many weeks, it has been noted that volumes of proselytizing and
dissemination of “opinion-as-fact” come from unverified information through Mr.
Schneier’s self-promoting blog, other blogs and various online sites, such as
gamer’s sites, of unknown, dubious reputation and/or expertise in the critical
areas of cryptography and privacy and not from reputable publications as The
New York Times or The Washington Post.
Mr. Schneier decries the NSA and mandated law enforcement agencies empowered by
our laws. Yet, Mr. Schneier’s track record shows, significantly, that at least
twice over the last decade he has turned a blind eye to workable security (but
he complains about privacy.) He has actively engaged in disparaging workable
security and communications for his own benefit, and most callously, withheld
this information from both his readers and his current employers.
As citizens and through our elected officials, we empower politicians with the
creation of agencies and tools that are designed to protect us from the
aforementioned threats. The system is not perfect, and must be updated and
adjusted as times, technology and threats change. But we are all endangered if
these various public servants are hobbled and cannot do their job. This is why
Bruce Schneier’s style of journalism and lack of scientific integrity is
dangerous.
The primary cause for drifting a bit from original mandates of our law
enforcement and defense agencies is a product of rapidly changing technology,
the sheer volume of communications, and the exploding threats environment.
These agencies have been pressured to react faster than policy can adapt. Part
of the answer lies in using the improved security technology we have available
to combat the fatal flaws of public key and asymmetric network systems and the
algorithms that are currently used to encrypt our data. The other part lies in
following the existing FISA protocols currently in place and improving them as
need dictates to insure that telecommunication providers, law enforcement and
intelligence agencies interface with the LAW and follow the spirit of our
constitution as intended.
In conclusion, as we best try to answer the most pressing question of our day,
“How do we balance between Privacy and Security?” we believe that a key
element of serving our democracies is the judicious evaluation of information
written by true journalists using properly researched and sourced information
and publishing them in reputable publications without hidden agendas. The
collective conversation should not ping pong between extreme positions but
rather recognize that privacy and security are both demanded by the
constitution. With new technologies and considered thinking, privacy and
security can be balanced and achieved easily and inexpensively.
Learn more about Bruce Schneier’s current track record through “The Challenge
That Black Hat Would Not Take but DEFCON Did” at:
http://wnlabs.com/news/challengeDEFCON.php and
http://wnlabs.com/news/Schneier_Challenge_Clock.php.
Learn more about Bruce Schneier’s past track record at:
http://www.wnlabs.com/WhitenoiseSecurityChallenge/ and The History of
Whitenoise Can't Be Broken
For more information contact Richard H.L. Marshall at E-Mail:
rmarshall(_at_)wnlabs(_dot_)com
or visit: www.wnlabs.com
Mr. Marshall previously was a member of the Senior Cryptologic Executive
Service (SCES) and the Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service (DISES).
He was the Director of Global Cyber Security Management, National Cyber
Security Division, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by special arrangement
between the Director, National Security Agency (DIRNSA) and the Secretary of
DHS. Within DHS he directed the National Cyber Security Education Strategy, the
Software Assurance, the Research and Standards Integration, and Supply Chain
Risk Management programs. He was previously the Senior Information Assurance
(IA) Representative, Office of Legislative Affairs at the National Security
Agency (NSA) where he served as the Agency's point of contact for all NSA
Information Security (INFOSEC) matters concerning Congress. He devised the IA
legislative strategy, helped shape the passage of the revised Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act and was a key contributor to the Bush and Obama!
administration's Comprehensive National Cyber Security Initiative (CNCI).
André Brisson conceived Whitenoise and founded Whitenoise Laboratories Canada
Inc. (WNL) to exploit revolutionary and patented security technology. He was
listed by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the first
US National Cyber Leap Year Summit as belonging in the top 100 cyber security
and cryptography experts.