FBI, intel chiefs decry “deep cynicism” over cyber spying programs

[boutons_deux]

On a stage in a ballroom in the Walter Washington Convention Center on September 10, the heads of the United States' intelligence community gathered to talk about the work their agencies perform and the challenges they face—or at least as much as they could in an unclassified environment.

But the directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency also had one particular mission in mind as they took the stage at the Intelligence & National Security Summit, an industry event largely attended by government officials and contractors:

stopping the poisoning of the public debate around their missions, and especially around the issue of encryption, by unreasonable haters.

CIA Director John Brennan suggested that negative public opinion and "misunderstanding" about the US intelligence community is in part "because of people who are trying to undermine" the mission of the NSA, CIA, FBI and other agencies. These people "may be fueled by our adversaries," he said.

FBI Director James Comey referred to the backlash against his lobbying for backdoors into encrypted communications provided by the technology industry as "venom and deep cynicism" that are making a rational discussion about what could and should be done nearly impossible.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/09/fbi-intel-chiefs-decry-deep-cynicism-over-cyber-spying-programs/

... iow, "all y'all Americans are irrational, we spooks are rational, why don't you trust us?"

[Winehole23]

still no proof it makes us any safer. just fiat assertions.

[Splits]

It's a pretty simple calculation: forcing tech companies to subvert encryption allows anyone to subvert encryption. For the got authoritarians that run our "intelligence" agencies to pretend any differently is completely dishonest. If you provide a "backdoor", people who you don't want accessing the "backdoor" will eventually find the key.

"Hey, NSA, the key is in the 2nd potted plant next to the doorway, don't tell anyone!"