<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Thank you Ali for this timely post. <div class=""><br class=""><div class="">The question here for me goes beyond Apple the company. It is about a government asking a company to intentionally degrade the security of a product in the name of securing the country. It makes sense until you get to the details; </div><div class="">1. FBI have had the capacity to access the info they need. They intentionally ‘locked' themselves out of the iCloud account to ensure they have this court order. </div><div class="">2. FBI have been asking the political class to make a move on encryption/security. Congress has been dillydallying. They thus went to the Judiciary. The underlying motive being the assumption that unless FBI or NSA for that matter can ‘collect it all’, they cannot assure ‘total security’. I think that is a lame excuse. We can have that debate later. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">However, I think the security agencies should have access to targeted information as investigations lead them - with the oversight of legislature and judiciary. The problem is how to ensure this is not misused to collect any information they think they need about a society. Self censorship, fear and basically ‘guilty by default’ will be the order of the day and you really don’t want to go down that road. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Back to Apple/FBI case, the marketing angle is clear, so is the privacy one. However, I think on this one it is more about security. Creating a crippled software version for one investigation opens the door for criminals hack-race. Criminals will reverse engineer this for all sorts of evils. You cannot secure the cyberspace by creating loopholes for government to use. This is myopic, to say the least. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">These companies might be US-Based but they operate globally - heck even in space - ask Tesla and Virgin. The next government which will come to Apple or Google or Samsung or Facebook or BRCK here in Kenya is a foreign government. Think Uganda, Syria, Kenya…because a precedent will have been made by this case. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Moses. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Feb 21, 2016, at 12:00 PM, <a href="mailto:kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke" class="">kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="">Send kictanet mailing list submissions to<br class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke" class="">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br class=""><br class="">To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<br class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet<br class="">or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<br class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke<br class=""><br class="">You can reach the person managing the list at<br class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>kictanet-owner@lists.kictanet.or.ke<br class=""><br class="">When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<br class="">than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..."<br class="">Today's Topics:<br class=""><br class=""> 1. Of Data Security, Terrorism,<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>National Security and Marketing<br class=""> (Ali Hussein)<br class=""><br class=""><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(127, 127, 127, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">From: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(127, 127, 127, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><b class="">[kictanet] Of Data Security, Terrorism, National Security and Marketing</b><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(127, 127, 127, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">February 21, 2016 at 7:58:47 AM EAT<br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" class=""><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(127, 127, 127, 1.0);" class=""><b class="">To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke, ISOC@lists.my.co.ke<br class=""></span></div><br class=""><br class=""><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" class=""><div dir="auto" class=""><div class="">Listers</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">An interesting email from Fortune Magazine, Data Sheet.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> <i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">This is Jonathan Vanian, filling in for Robert Hackett while he is off.</i><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">The battle between the public and private sector over encryption technology kicked into warp speed this week.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">On Tuesday, a federal judge in Riverside, California ordered Apple to build a custom version of its iOS operating system that can be installed into the iPhone of one of the shooters responsible for the December rampage killings in<a href="http://link.fortune.com/click/6145920.22389/aHR0cDovL2ZvcnR1bmUuY29tLzIwMTUvMTIvMDcvc2FuLWJlcm5hcmRpbm8tc2hvb3RpbmctcmFuZ2Uv/55ba80258cc2b2e72d8b457aB8f2af76d" class=""> San Bernardino</a>.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Because the data inside the shooter’s iPhone is encrypted, the FBI can’t simply retrieve the information it wants from the device’s memory chips. Instead, it needs the device to be unlocked with the appropriate PIN number.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">However, Apple’s tough iPhone security measures make the process of guessing the phone’s PIN number a risky business. If the FBI enters the wrong PIN number too many times, the phone will permanently delete the stored data.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">A special version of the iPhone operating system that would either bypass or remove that data-deletion feature would presumably make it easier for the FBI to crack the PIN number without fearing a total data wipeout.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Apple CEO Tim Cook was displeased with the court order and wrote a letter to customers in which he said the custom operating system is “too dangerous to create” because it circumvents the company’s security features.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Cook claims that the government is asking Apple to weaken the measures it takes to encrypt its data. To create the custom software would set a bad precedent that “would hurt only the well-meaning and law-abiding citizens who rely on companies like Apple to protect their data.”</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">That’s balderdash, the Department of Justice responded in the form of a<a href="http://link.fortune.com/click/6145920.22389/aHR0cDovL2ZvcnR1bmUuY29tLzIwMTYvMDIvMTkvZG9qLWFwcGxlLWNvdXJ0LW1vdGlvbi8/55ba80258cc2b2e72d8b457aBe03c39ad" class=""> court motion</a>. The DOJ claimed that it won’t “require Apple to create or provide a ‘back door’ to every iPhone.” Apple’s public stance on the issue is only a “public brand marketing strategy.”</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Now, representatives of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have<a href="http://link.fortune.com/click/6145920.22389/aHR0cHM6Ly9lbmVyZ3ljb21tZXJjZS5ob3VzZS5nb3YvbmV3cy1jZW50ZXIvcHJlc3MtcmVsZWFzZXMvYmlwYXJ0aXNhbi1jb21taXR0ZWUtbGVhZGVycy1pbnZpdGUtZmJpLWRpcmVjdG9yLWFwcGxlLWNlby10ZXN0aWZ5LWFib3V0LWVuY3J5cHRpb24/55ba80258cc2b2e72d8b457aB606aaa87" class=""> invited</a>Cook and FBI Director James Comey to appear at a yet-to-be-scheduled hearing to discuss encryption, a topic that will almost certainly be debated during the upcoming presidential elections. Additionally, the House Judiciary Committee reportedly asked Apple officials to testify at a similar hearing <a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://2" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors-result="2" class="">on March 1.</a></span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">This chain of events presents a perfect storm to bring the topic of encryption to the public stage.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">You have the world’s most valuable company, the U.S.’s leading criminal investigation and enforcement agency, and the controversial issues of terrorism, national security, and data privacy all intermingling.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Over the past few years, the topic of whether companies should ease up on encryption seemed to be of interest to only those deeply involved in the issue. Occasionally, there would be a mainstream news report on the issue. But generally speaking, the topic seemed to be of concern primarily to insiders or security conference attendees.</span></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">This time, considering the powerful players involved and its relation to a terrorist attack, the topic of encryption might stick around in the public forum.</span></p><div class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="text-align: start;" class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Jonathan Vanian</span></p><p style="text-align: start;" class=""><a href="http://link.fortune.com/click/6145920.22389/aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9Kb25hdGhhblZhbmlhbg/55ba80258cc2b2e72d8b457aB3bf000bc" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class=""><font class="">@JonathanVanian</font></a></p><p style="text-align: start;" class=""><a href="http://link.fortune.com/click/6145920.22389/aHR0cDovL2pvbmF0aGFuLnZhbmlhbkBmb3J0dW5lLmNvbQ/55ba80258cc2b2e72d8b457aBfc80f467" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class=""><font class="">jonathan.vanian@fortune.com</font></a></p><p class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class=""><em class="">Welcome to the Cyber Saturday edition of Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily tech newsletter. Fortune reporter Robert Hackett is off for the week. You can reach <em class="">him<em class="">via Twitter, <a href="http://link.fortune.com/click/6145920.22389/aHR0cHM6Ly9jcnlwdG8uY2F0Lw/55ba80258cc2b2e72d8b457aB259a2554" class="">Cryptocat</a>, <a href="http://link.fortune.com/click/6145920.22389/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5qYWJiZXIub3JnLw/55ba80258cc2b2e72d8b457aB582a7a81" class="">Jabber</a>, PGP encrypted email, or however you (securely) prefer. </em></em></em><em class="">Feedback welcome.</em></span></p><br class=""><div class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.231373);" class=""><b class="">Ali Hussein</b></span></div><div class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.231373);" class=""><b class="">Principal</b></span></div><div class=""><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Hussein & Associates</b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: inherit;" class="">+254 0713 601113 / 0770906375</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: inherit;" class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Twitter: @AliHKassim</span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class=""><font class=""></font></span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">Skype: abu-jomo</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class=""><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" class="">LinkedIn: <a href="http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim" target="_blank" class="">http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim</a></span></div><font class=""><br class=""></font></div><div class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); " class=""><br class=""></span></div><div class="">"Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought". ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi</div><div class=""><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.231373);" class=""><br class=""></span></div>Sent from my iPad</div></div><br class=""><br class="">_______________________________________________<br class="">kictanet mailing list<br class="">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke<br class="">https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet<br class=""></div></blockquote></div><br class=""><div class="">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><font size="1" style="font-family: arial; widows: 1; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">---</font></div><div class=""><font size="1" style="font-family: arial; widows: 1; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">Moses Karanja | </font><font color="#93c47d" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; widows: 1; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><a href="https://twitter.com/Mose_Karanja" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-size: x-small;" class="">@Mose_Karanja</a><span style="font-size: x-small;" class=""> | </span></font><font color="#000000" style="widows: 1; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: x-small; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">PGP: </font><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); widows: 1; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0.28px; line-height: 34px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><a href="https://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?op=index&fingerprint=on&search=0x1529552F" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class=""><font color="#6aa84f" class="">0x1529552F</font></a></span></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
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