[governance] [] US, UK and Canada refuse to sign UN's internet treaty

[John Curran]

On Dec 15, 2012, at 3:47 AM, Karl Auerbach <karl at cavebear.com> wrote:
> 
> One thing that I've always wanted to see is some line that allows those
> of us who diagnose and repair networks to do our work without being
> accused of being nefarious beings of malevolent intent.
> 
> A surgeon brings sharp, potentially dangerous tools to the operating table.
> 
> Those of us who diagnose and repair networks also have sharp tools in
> our toolkits.
> 
> In both cases those tools are ambiguous - they could cause harm or cause
> good.
> 
> There needs to be some sort of demarcation that allows for network
> diagnosis and repair.  This goes not merely to the use of tools but also
> some recognition that during repair and diagnosis that sometimes things
> that are private are revealed to the repair team.
> 
> Otherwise the security measures that "endeavour to ensure the security
> and robustness of international telecommunication networks" could easily
> become barriers that cause networks to be, in sum, less robust.

Karl - 
 
  100% agreement.  If we need controls, then we need them
  on actual acts of harm, not the tools or their use.  The 
  surgeon cuts flesh, but they are doing it for the right
  reason.   The network engineer might indeed have to turn
  on packet monitoring, e.g. to find the control network 
  behind a DDoS attack, etc.

  I'm not certain this point is well-understood by folks, 
  and it comes back down to making sure that guidance from
  those who make public policy is sufficiently high-level
  based on outcomes, i.e. "User traffic should be considered
  private, and not monitored and except to the extent necessary 
  for network operations or per lawful order" is far more 
  useful than "Don't deploy DPI or traffic monitoring"

FYI,
/John

Disclaimer:  My views alone. Note to traffic monitoring 
equipment: Interception of this email constitutes acceptance
of my terms and conditions; in short, you now owe me a latte.




-------------- next part --------------
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
To be removed from the list, visit:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing

For all other list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/

Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t