Recently I came across a CBS story about the internet versus privacy issue. The story argued that, today, our private lives are no longer private. This is obviously uncontroversial, but the reason our privacy is depleting is where the debate is centered. In the CBS story, it was stated, when we talk about privacy, we are talking about our right to control information we consider to be private. With the increase in technology, we are not losing control of our privacy, we are giving it away. Every time we use we use a credit card, Facebook, emails, or cell phones, we trade our privacy for convenience and entertainment. The CBS story also related the tale of a teacher who lost her job because she had a picture on Facebook of her holding a glass of alcohol. She was fired on the grounds of promoting alcohol. There are two arguments here. One could stand firm that this teacher gave away her privacy to this picture when she posted it on the internet. The other argument is that if one were to see this teacher drinking at a restaurant, would this be grounds to fire her? What is the difference? The teacher argued that she would never bring alcohol into the classroom and that her posting on Facebook was not meant to be seen by her students. However, by posting it on the internet, her students, as well as anyone else with internet access, could have accessed it. What are your views on this issue?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
DES Controversy
In a previous blog, I talked about the controversy regarding how much the government should be allowed to “invade the public’s privacy.” Now, I am pondering a similar, yet completely different question. Should the government be allowed to restrict the means by which the public gets its privacy? This controversy stems from the idea of DES. The government wants to restrict the security of the codes businesses use to keep their products safe so it can in turn keep the public safe. However, by doing this, the businesses themselves are putting themselves at risk on the chance that there are hackers out there capable of breaking DES. With technology continuing to advance, how often should the standard be changed? Should the government be more focused on building its hacking capabilities rather than weakening the security of the standard coding system?
DirecTV's War With Hackers
After reading about the security (or lack thereof) of DirecTV’s programming signal from the online article DirecTV’s War on Hackers, what I found the most interesting was actually the reader’s comments on the article. The first couple presented the idea that decrypting air signals is not actually stealing TV. I was surprised by this, because while I was reading the article, it never even occurred to me that the people receiving this free TV weren’t doing anything wrong! It seemed obvious to me that if you weren’t paying for the programs, but you received the signal through direct action on your part, then that was stealing. However, the first few comments proposed the idea that “When you steal something, the person that you stole it from no longer possesses it. An example of stealing TV would be smashing a shop window, grabbing a television set under your arm, and running. This is by no means the same thing. DirecTV are broadcasting their signal over satellite. Whether you pay for their service or not, it gets beamed into your property. If you have a dish, you will pick up the signal. If you happen to have the means of decoding this signal, you can watch their TV shows. How is this stealing?” I do not think this changes my mind about the fact that what was going on here is wrong, but it is definitely and interesting point that made me stop and think.
Monday, October 17, 2011
I Guess I'll Comment About the Elephant in the Room
It is rather funny we went through seven weeks of blogging about secrets, privacy, and cryptology without once mentioning the infamous Facebook. I will admit, while I have a facebook and do check it rather regularly, I am the last person to talk about the secrets of the mysterious world that is Facebook. My sister created my facebook account, for I know absolutely nothing about computers! Lucky for you, I found a website to share the Facebook secrets, so I do not have to pretend as if I know what I am talking about. This website follows an experiment that was designed to unravel the algorithms of the social network, something the people of Facebook intentionally keep quiet. Questions about what type of posts and comments show up on your newsfeed are all answered on this website. Take a look. You may be surprised!
Navajo Code Talkers
In The Code Book, by Simon Singh, I learned that the Navajo language was actually used as a code in itself during World War II. I found this piece of history rather fascinating, and even more fascinating that I did not know about it! The Navajo code talkers contributed to a major part of the war effort during World War II. There is even a date, August 14, set apart in honor of the work the Navajo tribe did to further the Allies to victory. Still, this is not something you learn about from your middle school or high school teachers when covering World War II.
It is indeed a brilliant idea to use a language unfamiliar to most of the world as a secret method of communication. It is much faster than mechanical codes and was on of the few unbreakable codes throughout history. However, I cannot help but wonder about the security of such a code compared to a written key. While it is true that not many people are familiar with the Navajo language, it is also true that not everyone who knew that language was working as a secret code breaker. That being said, if the enemy was able to determine that the language of the transmitted messages was Navajo, then one had easy access to finding someone who could “break the code” (or someone who spoke Navajo.) Unlike written keys, the language is not something that is contained within the walls. There are not only two copies, one for the sender and one for the receiver. I wonder, were Navajos ever kidnapped and forced to translate the messages? How would one go about translating the message, if the Navajo did not speak the language of the enemy? Or was the problem recognizing that the language was in fact Navajo?
This method of secret communication is probably not still used today (or I imagine it would still be classified information). If the code was indeed unbreakable, why stop using it? Did the enemy catch on and send people of their own to learn the mystifying language? The Code Book gives us the beginning of the Navajo story, but how does it end?
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Languages, Idiomas, Sprachen, langues, språk, 言語, Γλώσσες, زبان
How many languages do you think exist? While much of cryptology is based on mathematics, a lot of it is also based on linguistics. There are over 6900 recognized languages in the world. In the United States alone, there are over 200 languages spoken. How would cryptology be different if everyone in the entire world spoke the same language? Would it even make a difference, since codes can involve replacing figures with numbers and symbols as well? When a code is intercepted, how does the cryptanalyst know which language the code is in? Where do you even start!
Preventable Pearl Harbor??
Upon reading The Code book, which mentioned recruiting cryptanalysts for the enigma cracking team through a crossword puzzle contest, I immediately thought of my grandfather, who I consider to be a master in the art of solving the weekly newspaper puzzles. The next opportunity I had, I challenged him with the very crossword that the Government Code and Cypher School posted in the 1942 Daily Telegraph. The task was to finish the puzzle in twelve minutes. Though my grandpa was unsuccessful, (giving up after solving about 2 of the clues), we began talking about cryptology and its role in history. Through our conversation, I learned about the Purple code, which was one of the secret methods of communication used by the Japanese during World War II. I was really surprised and intrigued when my grandfather stated that, because of this code, the United States actually knew about the attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened, and did not do anything to prevent it! The reason, my grandfather explained, was because it would give the United States an excuse to declare war. A major attack, such as the one on Pearl Harbor, would be enough to provoke nationalism and provide an incentive to enter the war! FDR, the President himself, kept American commanders in the dark about the looming attack. Also, preventing the attack would have let the Japanese know that we were able to read their codes. Over 4000 lives were stolen on the day that lives in infamy, but allowed President Roosevelt to take America into the War. Was such a loss, which could have been prevented, worth it? Did FDR do his duty as the President of the United States by lying to his people and sacrificing American lives? How would the outcome of the war have been different, had the attack on Pearl Harbor not happened?
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