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Re: Time to Use the GNU Open Encryption Tools

__/ [ Rex Ballard ] on Thursday 08 June 2006 01:52 \__

> 
> Larry Qualig wrote:
>> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>> > __/ [ Tim Smith ] on Wednesday 07 June 2006 07:32 \__
>> >
>> > > In article <1934430.8ha3m8QcCt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Roy Schestowitz
>> > > wrote:
>> > >> ,----[ Quote ]
>> > >>| According to a new study, about a third of big companies in the
>> > >>| United States and Britain hire employees to read and analyze
>> > >>| outbound e-mail as they seek to guard against legal, financial or
>> > >>| regulatory risk.
>> > >> `----
>> > >
>> > > Using encryption would be a big risk.  If they are reading the
>> > > outbound mail in order to satisfy regulatory obligations, or to
>> > > protect themselves against legal and financial risk, then they will
>> > > simply tell the sender to provide
>> > > the decryption key.  If the sender refuses, that is likely grounds for
>> > > termination.
>> >
>>
>> > _ALL_ E-mail should be encrypted. Read the following:
>>
>> Feel free to encrypt all the *personal* email you want. But when
>> working at a company, and using company computers, company bandwith,
>> company premises and on company time it is the company that will decide
>> what software you can have on your system and whether or not you are
>> allowed to encrypt email.
> 
> And if you are ever challenged as to your use of these things, you
> should then pull out your "real" time sheet, the one that shows the 60
> hours/week, the 20 hours of commute time, the 10 hours/week spent on
> "administrative" tasks, and of course the 20 hours/week that you have
> spent on training to stay at the top of your game.  Maybe they'll even
> pay you for the 10,000 worth of overtime you've but in over the last 5
> years.
> 
> Maybe they'll even help you get it from Microsoft.
> 
> But I wouldn't hold my breath.


Good point.

If someone wants to gain insight into what I write or read, s/he can ask me
nicely and I will open up. Doing this behind my back is not something I
happily accept and a company that embraces the approach of arbitrary
snooping is not one which I am keen to work for. Likewise with companies
that decide that's good for me. Fortunately, I often seem to prosper in a
more enlightened environment whose use of software encourages diversity. My
Supervisor has always been using Windows and he has repsect for Linux, as
well.

Since you (Larry) used to work for Microsoft, I don't expect you to
understand my last paragraph or assimilate to any of the sentiments of
Openness expressed therein.


>> There are often good reasons for policies like this. Security,
>> accountability and government regulations are frequently involved.
>> Anyone who disagrees with these policies and believes it's their god
>> given right to encrypt their outgoing email is free to seek employment
>> elsewhere.
> 
> Actually, if you illegally publish copyrighted material, insider
> information, or other illegal publications, you will NOT be free to
> seek employment elsewhere, because you will be spending your time in a
> federal prison, in military service, or in a nice resort just south of
> Florida - Guantanimo Bay - possibly without trial, and possibly for an
> indefinite period of time.
> 
> Copyright violations - 5-15 years depending on the material illegally
> published.
> Insider Trading Information - 3-25 years depending on related damages.
> Information facilitating a felony - 2 to life, depending on the felony
> committed.
> Facilitating Terrorist Acts - Immediate trip to Guantanimo bay.
> Keep in mind that any relationship to drugs, including Heroin, Cocaine,
> Marajuana, or Hashish, would be a terrorist act because under the
> patriot act, this would be helping to fund terrorist organizations.
> 
> Keep in mind that federal court judges have very little descretion, and
> there is no parole.
> 
> Disclosure of classified information - 10 years per offense, if you
> make it to trial.


None of the above intersects with anything that I will ever do or have ever
done. My interest in privacy is partly idealogical and, in part, I just
don't need people reading everything I write to family and friends. It
doesn't make sense for a company to spend money in aimless snooping. People
who know me are fully aware that I am trustworthy. If they refuse to put
trust in me, then the relationship is just going to perish from day 1.


>> If the company tells you to _stop_ encrypting email and you
>> don't comply, they will (rightly) ensure that you do seek employment
>> elsewhere.
> 
> Encrypting e-mail can be probable cause for a search warrant to go
> through your entire computer.  The attachment might be encrypted, but
> it is probably identifiable.  If you have the unencrypted documents or
> attachments on your computer, things could get messy very quickly.


To clarify, I never share any sensitive information and I rarely use
encryption. _However_, I envision the day when things such as ISP data
retention and plain-text traffic is brought to and end (or never initiated).
It all boils down to Nanny Country arguments.


>> Orthogonal to the point. Do whatever you want with *YOUR* email. But
>> what you do at work belongs to your employer, not you.
> 
> If you sent illegal information via overnight mail, on company
> stationary, claiming to be an official of the company, promoting a
> scheme which was illegal, and you licked the envelope to seal it, left
> your fingerprints all over it, and attempted to collect funds, you
> could be prosecuted for mail fraud.
> 
> If you sent the same information, from your company e-mail, and
> attempted to collect funds, you could be prosecuted for wire fraud.


Why are you guys so fixated on legal matters? I was merely talking about the
right for privacy. You seem to have taken this discussion into territories
that in no way apply to myself.


>> > Roy S. Schestowitz, Ph.D. Candidate in Medical Biophysics
> 
> I would suggest that you have a conversation with a Lawyer, or at least
> a law student.


How come? I can interpret this sentence in a whole variety of ways, some more
worrisome than others... so I would appreciate a quick clarification (even
off-list if you deem that more suitable).

Best wishes,

Roy

-- 
Roy S. Schestowitz 
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