Legislating Weak Encryption is Stupid and Dangerous

June 6, 2020
Hosted by Rebecca Herold

[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]

Guest Information

Episode Description

The value of strong encryption cannot be overstated, but yet the efforts from lawmakers to force tech companies to create weak encryption has been put into overdrive. Bruce Schneier has been a vocal proponent of strong encryption for many years, and eloquently explains why it is technically not possible to give the good guys the access they want to encrypted files and transmission without also giving the bad guys access. Listen in as Schneier explains his thoughts about the most recent efforts from the DOJ and lawmakers to require commercial products to use accessible encryption. Schneier also answers questions such as: What would he say to AG Barr about creating such accessible encryption? What does he think about Zoom encryption, and security in general? What are his thoughts about COVID-19 tracing apps; are they sufficiently protecting privacy, and are they effective? What concerns does he have with online voting security?

Data Security and Privacy with the Privacy Professor

New shows the first Saturday of each month at 8 AM Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Business Channel

There are more information security and privacy threats than ever before. As more technologies emerge, more surveillance tactics are used, and more artificial intelligence systems are deployed, cybersecurity and privacy risks grow exponentially. Rebecca has spent her entire career working to improve information security and privacy protections, by not only raising awareness of the issues within businesses and other types of organizations, but also by raising the awareness of these risks in the public and helping them to understand how to better protect their own personal data, allowing them to take their privacy protections into their own hands. Rebecca offers information about these existing and emerging security and privacy risks and provides fresh insights into the impacts of exploiting these risks, and gives guidance, tips, expert advice and news, with fascinating guests, to help all organizations, and the general public, understand what they need to do to mitigate these risks.

Rebecca Herold

Rebecca has 25-plus years of systems engineering, information security, privacy and compliance experience, is CEO of The Privacy Professor(R) consultancy she founded in 2004, and Co-Founder/CEO of Privacy Security Brainiacs online services, where Rebecca engineered the systems and created all the content, including automated risk assessments and training courses. Rebecca has authored 20 books, contributed to dozens of other books, and published hundreds of articles. Rebecca led the NIST Smart Grid Privacy Subgroup for 7 years, a member of the NIST Privacy Framework development team, and is a NIST Cybersecurity for IoT Program team member. Rebecca has provided expert witness services for HIPAA compliance, IoT security, privacy and location tracking, retirement community members’ personal data misuse, and other cases. Rebecca was co-founder and officer of the IEEE P1912 Privacy and Security Architecture for Consumer Wireless Devices Working Group, and is on numerous advisory boards. Rebecca was Adjunct Professor for the Norwich University MSISA program for 9 years. Rebecca has received numerous awards, including named as a Top 100 Women Fighting Cybercrime and a Cybersecurity Woman of the Year. Rebecca has provided keynotes on 5 continents and is frequently interviewed on TV and in international publications. Rebecca holds the following certifications: FIP, CDPSE, CISSP, CISA, CISM, CIPT, CIPM, CIPP/US, FLMI. Ponemon Privacy Fellow. Rebecca is based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA.


This site is protected by Trustwave's Trusted Commerce program