Ding, ding, seconds out: It’s Law v Math

And so Australia will be pitting its legal systems against the laws of mathematics with a new bill to be put forward in the Spring of 2019.

Augus Taylor, the Minister for Law Enforcement and Cyber Security, recently outlined:

(We want to) implement measures to address the impact of encrypted communications and devices on national security and law enforcement investigations. The bill provides a framework for agencies to work with the private sector so that law enforcement can adapt to the increasingly complex online environment. The bill requires both domestic and foreign companies supplying services to Australia to provide greater assistance to agencies.

And so if you read this statement you wonder where the magical potion is going to come from? Will it be a special maths function that no-one, but law enforcement, will know about, or will it be an evil root kit?

Basically the Australian government wants to create a back door on devices and networks, but not allow others in. If someone knows how to do this, they should publish the method as the “good guy algorithm”.