[LINK] Comply with Cybercrime Act: Aust companies warned

[Howard Lowndes]

On Thu, 24 Oct 2002, Irene Graham wrote:

> There was a Senate Committee inquiry into the Comm. Cybercrime Bill mid
> last year. It appeared at one stage that the ALP had concerns about some
> aspects and might insist on amendments. And then September 11 happened, and
> then the Bill was passed on 27 September.
>
> For EFA commentary...
>
> http://www.efa.org.au/Issues/Security/index.html#ccb01
> Cybercrime Bill 2001
>
> "...The legislation is an overbroad knee-jerk reaction to recent
> well-publicised virus attacks, and has the potential to criminalise
> innocent behaviour such as possession of security software. It also
> introduces an alarming law enforcement provision requiring release of
> encryption keys or decryption of data, contrary to the common law privilege
> against self-incrimination.

How do you release encryption keys that have a life which may have expired
eons before the demand for the release of such keys.  Consider IPSec, or
SSH, or any other tunnelling encrypting software.  Most of these change
the symmetrical keys hourly and the expired keys are discarded.

>
> The Australian government seems intent on maintaining its reputation for
> implementing excessive and overbroad online laws.
> ..."

I have to say that this slipped through very quietly.  Perhaps some/most
who are not deeply into this assumed that this was still the NSW
legislation and not a federal Act.  Anyway its there, so now, how do we
use it to our advantage against Microsoft?

-- 
Howard.
LANNet Computing Associates - Your Linux people
Contact detail at http://www.lannetlinux.com
"Flatter government, not fatter government." - me
 Get rid of the Australian states.
------------------------------------------
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?


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