Anyone seen the movie "The Enemy of the State"????? Check this out then: >From The Australian, at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/index.asp?URL=/national/4301119.htm Secret plan for spies to bug PCs By DAN TEBBUTT 13jan99 PERSONAL computers would become police spy stations under secret proposals put to the Federal Government by a former deputy director of ASIO. The Australian Federal Police, ASIO and the National Crime Authority would be empowered to alter software to turn PCs into covert listening devices, according to the 1996 report by one-time spy chief Gerald Walsh. The report also recommends changes to the Commonwealth Crimes Act to allow police and government investigators to hack into computer systems for evidence. While Mr Walsh called for public discussion of his proposals, the report was withdrawn by the Attorney-General's Department. But a copy of the 96-page document was obtained last week by Internet privacy campaigners Electronic Frontiers Australia and released to The Australian. A spokesman for Attorney-General Daryl Williams confirmed last night that Mr Walsh's recommendations were under discussion but the report was "just one element" of policy being considered. He would not say whether the controversial recommendations would be acted on through legislation. Mr Walsh warns that widespread use of PC-based data scrambling is a big concern for law enforcement. Criminals were already using computer encryption – programs that encode data so it cannot be intercepted – to prevent police from monitoring phone calls and e-mail. Widespread encryption to scramble sensitive data would make crimes harder to prove in court, Mr Walsh warns. "The principle of non self-incrimination may well represent the polite end of the possible range of responses," the report says. Mr Walsh's plan would clear the way for police to eavesdrop on computer conversations at the source. A "target computer may be converted into a listening device" that could seek out passwords and other private communications without the PC owner's knowledge. EFA spokesman Greg Taylor said authorities might set up Trojan horse software that would record all PC activity, including passwords and e- mail, before encryption. "If you have access to someone's PC and you change their software you can do anything you want," said Mr Taylor. "If it's connected to a network such as the Internet the PC could transmit data to another site." Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman said the proposals would be a worrying extension to police wiretap powers which were already over-used. "We are concerned about the low level of protection in relation to current judicial warrants for telephone eavesdropping," Mr O'Gorman said. Labor information technology spokeswoman Senator Kate Lundy said "the whole issue of encryption is being used as a lever to justify further invasions of privacy". Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html The Year 2000 Bug - An Urgent Sustainability Issue http://www.peg.apc.org/~psutton/grin-y2k.htm
