Can secure text messaging like Tigertext be read by the NSA?

Jetster · Sep 6, 2013

Nobody wants to read your e mails

Easy Rhino · Sep 7, 2013

W1zzard said:
where do you send your mail and how can you ensure the receiving end is secure? or are you sending mail around in your basement only?

even if you send your mail to your upstream mail provider using TLS, it will end up in the final receiver's inbox as cleartext via SMTP

i agree, which is why people use my email service! it's just like lavabit where if you are a lavabit user and you want to communicate with something privately you get that person to also have a lavabit account.

Ikaruga · Sep 7, 2013

Easy Rhino said:
i agree, which is why people use my email service! it's just like lavabit where if you are a lavabit user and you want to communicate with something privately you get that person to also have a lavabit account.

I think Wizzard's point was that you do not have control over the computers of other people (regardless of the service they are using, even if that's happen to be your mail service), so you can't possibly protect any data on those machines.... hell, you probably don't even have full control over your own machine when it comes to agencies like the NSA.

Easy Rhino · Sep 7, 2013

Ikaruga said:
I think Wizzard's point was that you do not have control over the computers of other people (regardless of the service they are using, even if that's happen to be your mail service), so you can't possibly protect any data on those machines.... hell, you probably don't even have full control over your own machine when it comes to agencies like the NSA.

not true. companies like lavabit that provided encrypted email were protected which is why the NSA forced them to either give up their keys or to shutdown. you can have secure encrypted communication safe from government up to the point where they can apparently force you to turn over your keys. time to abolish the NSA.

FordGT90Concept · Sep 7, 2013

I'm late to this conversation but, the best way to fool all kinds of surveillance is to speak in code. Think using the Navajo language during WWII.

Even if they intercept the message (and they probably will) they won't know WTF it means and no computer is going to figure it out.

Ikaruga · Sep 7, 2013

Easy Rhino said:
not true. companies like lavabit that provided encrypted email were protected which is why the NSA forced them to either give up their keys or to shutdown. you can have secure encrypted communication safe from government up to the point where they can apparently force you to turn over your keys. time to abolish the NSA.

No, they would just need to brute force such communications with their super secret quantum shit, which is probably far more expensive and resource/time consuming than sending out a few agents and lawyers to the company who badly threatens them with 20 years of hard security prison if they are not in the "mood" to comply.

Also don't forget :

most of the users do not have a secure environment, they mostly use Windows which is a closed source OS, and they also click on all kind of "unknown" things on a daily basis, and...
They pretty much own the Internet, so what does the server in your basement worth if it's accessed (or not) on such a controlled network?

Please understand that this whole "violation of our privacy" issue is some serious evil stuff there indeed, but there is really nothing we can do about it, except letting everybody know all the times that we do not like it at all.
We could of course also not use "their" Internet, but if we do, we must accept that we are not living in a perfect dream world, so we just have to "deal with it" like how it is now, I guess :toast:

Wrigleyvillain · Sep 7, 2013

tigger said:
the GOV in america likes to instill fear into the populace, so they can justify the more draconian security measures.

Can't really argue with that though let's not forget the UK is not far behind and London is like the most physically surveilled place on the planet.

Easy Rhino said:
i agree, which is why people use my email service! it's just like lavabit where if you are a lavabit user and you want to communicate with something privately you get that person to also have a lavabit account.

Well...you know alot more about encryption methods and practices than I do but even so you trust your systems more than I would.

Sir B. Fannybottom · Sep 7, 2013

Why are you trying to hide from the government? Are you a terrorist or something? This guy needs a freedom check. #homeofthefree

Ikaruga · Sep 7, 2013

Sir B. Fannybottom said:
Why are you trying to hide from the government? Are you a terrorist or something? This guy needs a freedom check. #homeofthefree

You are missing the point. It's not about hiding anything from the government, but about the ethical and moral basis of a healthy society. It's about right and wrong, and the "guilty until proven innocent" approach is definitely wrong in every way, even if it's needed because of a "war". It belongs to books and stories with a dark atmosphere like Orwell's 1984, and definitely not to our beautiful planet.

On the other hand, I believe that peacefully telling our opinions and talking about the subject in a civilized manner is the right way to counter such behaviours, and not by actively doing something against them (like making private mail servers in the basement and whatnot). I also don't think it's very smart to start a "fight" with the NSA on their home territory... you just make your life complicated and achieve zero. They are doing it on a purpose, because they have their orders, and nothing will stop them except new orders.

I have nothing to hide. I have a job, a family, friends, and I pay my taxes.. so they can read and store about me whatever they want or need to (i even use Gmail and Google all the time and I'm very satisfied with their service) ... but I still think it's very wrong and evil that they are spying on me

Fourstaff · Sep 7, 2013

Sir B. Fannybottom said:
Why are you trying to hide from the government? Are you a terrorist or something? This guy needs a freedom check. #homeofthefree

I am not terribly interested in letting NSA know what porn I jack off to. I certainly don't want people to know trade secrets off my email either (for example, they can theoretically tap the CFO of a big company and trade stock off the information they stole).

MT Alex · Sep 7, 2013

Because I've been exposed to Mr. Fannybottom's odd sense of humor, I'm pretty sure he was being facetious. The sad thing is many express that sentiment genuinely, as though it makes them feel like they are a part of the winning team.

McSteel · Sep 8, 2013

Yeah, I don't see how everyone could've missed that painfully obvious sarcasm...

Frick · Sep 8, 2013

McSteel said:
Yeah, I don't see how everyone could've missed that painfully obvious sarcasm...

I have encountered people on The Interwebz that really think like that. Yeah..

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Can secure text messaging like Tigertext be read by the NSA?

Jetster

Easy Rhino

Linux Advocate

Ikaruga

Easy Rhino

Linux Advocate

FordGT90Concept

"I go fast!1!11!1!"

Ikaruga

Wrigleyvillain

PTFO or GTFO

Sir B. Fannybottom

Ikaruga

Fourstaff

Moderator

MT Alex

McSteel

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

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