The Department of Commerce is looking out for YOU

[Doggy Daddy]

Don't worry about remembering all those confusing passwords - the Gimmint wants to give you one that will work for everything.


I feels so much bettah!

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/US-Department-Commerce-Wants-Help-3449669.S.51121526

Worried about remembering your passwords? If you are a US citizen you need not worry much longer because the US Commerce Department has just disclosed plans for a national cyber-identity system that will let you use a single secure password and identity for all of your digital transactions. Of course there is a catch, but we will get to that at the end.

DD

[Boomhauer]

Yeah, I can't see anything wrong with this brilliant plan! /sarcasm


Cause from a security standpoint, the first person I'd trust is the feds (yeah right) and I'd SURE trust them not to invade my privacy...

And if you believe this thing will remain optional...yeah, I've got this ocean front property in AZ I'd like to talk to you about, it's a deal you can't pass up)

[Doggy Daddy]

Yeah.

I hope they can provide me with a good solid encryption key to use with PGP while they're at it.

DD

[mtnbkr]

Cause from a security standpoint, the first person I'd trust is the feds (yeah right) and I'd SURE trust them not to invade my privacy...

After spending a decade as a FedGov network engineer contractor (PKI, VPN, Firewalls primarily) I returned to security work for the corporate side of the industry.  Frankly, when it comes to security, I would trust the govt over corporations any day.  What I see on the corporate side would horrify you.  You'd think this was 1998 and tools like encryption were difficult and expensive.  That said, I do not trust the govt when it comes to privacy, but at least they *get* the security argument.

Chris  

[MechAg94]

Can't you buy key-fob USB devices that can encrypt and store all your passwords? 

[AZRedhawk44]

Can't you buy key-fob USB devices that can encrypt and store all your passwords? 

Only ones I've heard of are proprietary closed-source solutions, which means there's probably a backdoor in them.

[longeyes]

Ah, the old chip-in-the-hand ploy, eh?

[RevDisk]

After spending a decade as a FedGov network engineer contractor (PKI, VPN, Firewalls primarily) I returned to security work for the corporate side of the industry.  Frankly, when it comes to security, I would trust the govt over corporations any day.  What I see on the corporate side would horrify you.  You'd think this was 1998 and tools like encryption were difficult and expensive.  That said, I do not trust the govt when it comes to privacy, but at least they *get* the security argument.

Chris  

US government does have a pretty good PKI setup, I'll admit that.  I'd agree that the government has done a better job of rolling out a PKI infrastructure.  But trust?  Eh...  Corporations can't exactly kick in your door, shoot the family pets and toss you in prison on questionable charges. 

I don't encrypt my files or email to stop McDonald's or Exxon-Mobile from reading my stuff.

[Boomhauer]

I don't encrypt my files or email to stop McDonald's or Exxon-Mobile from reading my stuff.

I do keep a shotgun around in case the Hamburgler or an insane Ronald shows up...

[RevDisk]

I do keep a shotgun around in case the Hamburgler or an insane Ronald shows up...

That's why I keep the Uzi handy.  And throwing spikes.  And uh.  Other things. 

But I'm saying it's being overly paranoid to worry about either of them intercepting your electronic communications.

[KD5NRH]

Only ones I've heard of are proprietary closed-source solutions, which means there's probably a backdoor in them.

Any USB drive + TrueCrypt + KeePass.  All open source, and even if KeePass turns out to be less secure than you thought, having it on a TrueCrypt volume solves that.

[mtnbkr]

US government does have a pretty good PKI setup, I'll admit that.  I'd agree that the government has done a better job of rolling out a PKI infrastructure.  But trust?  Eh...  Corporations can't exactly kick in your door, shoot the family pets and toss you in prison on questionable charges. 

I don't encrypt my files or email to stop McDonald's or Exxon-Mobile from reading my stuff.

True, you don't have to worry about Corps coming to your home, but you do have to worry about them getting compromised.  I was speaking more about the technical aspects of security.  Govt understands and puts reasonably good practices in place.

As for the govt, I wasn't impressed with their PKI efforts.  Up till a couple years ago, it was constantly having issues.  Things may be better now, but it was rough for a while.

Chris

[Doggy Daddy]

Any USB drive + TrueCrypt + KeePass.  All open source, and even if KeePass turns out to be less secure than you thought, having it on a TrueCrypt volume solves that.

Thanks.  Good plan/info.

I'm gonna get a couple of good-sized USB drives and set one up for me and another for the wife.  It'll be good for passwords, and for scans of important docs.

DD

[roo_ster]

True, you don't have to worry about Corps coming to your home, but you do have to worry about them getting compromised.  I was speaking more about the technical aspects of security.  Govt understands and puts reasonably good practices in place.

There is legal recourse if a corp screws up and your data is let out into the wilds.  When gov't does it, you get a letter and (if you're lucky) a phone number to call that will run a single, free credit check for you.