The death of privacy

 Macworld Australia:



"“Metadata plays a central role in almost all serious criminal and national security investigations, which is why it’s so critical that our law enforcement and security agencies continue to have the ability to lawfully access this kind of data in connection with their investigations. For example, child exploitation investigations rely heavily on access to metadata as perpetrators primarily share information online.”

There are some important things to note in this explanation.

The focus is on serious crime and national security investigations.
It’s critical for law enforcement and security.
The access to the data is lawful.
The emotive use of child exploitation to justify the need for this law.
So, you’d expect only law enforcement and security agencies investigating serious crimes to have warrantless access to the data, wouldn’t you? Well, more than 60 agencies have access to the data.

Now, we have six states and 10 federal territories, with local police forces. There’s the Australian Federal Police, ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) and ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service). By my estimations, that makes about nine police and security agencies. You can add perhaps another handful involved in military intelligence."



'via Blog this'

East Timor takes Australia to UN

SMH.com:



 "In the espionage operation, Australian Secret Intelligence Service agents pretended to be aid workers repairing East Timor's government offices. The spies inserted listening devices into the wall cavity of East Timor's cabinet office where its CMATS negotiating team met."



'via Blog this'

Plans for Australia's new cyber security strategy

Business Insider:



 "A boost of cyber skills within the government was also identified as a major importance, with the promise of an increase in size of the national Computer Emergency Response Team, which is the main point of call for major IT security issues. On top of that, the government also wants to increase the number of cyber security professionals within the Australian Federal Police, Crime Commission and the Australian Signals Directorate."



'via Blog this'