[earthstabber]

Strong encryption is used for offensive measures as well.

[mandelbrotwurst]

How do you mean? Isn't encryption essentially building a wall around your data - about as defensive as it gets?

Is your argument essentially "invaders can carry shields, therefore shields are a tool of attack"?

[chabes]

I’m not the person you asked, but I think they’re referring to ransomware

[trickstra]

The "attack" part of any ransomware is how they were able to get to the point where they can execute arbitrary command on my computer. Because once that is achieved, all bets are off.

[mandelbrotwurst]

Thanks, that example makes sense to me, hadn't thought of that!

[ryacko]

A good argument could be that the NSA is violating the intent of Congress by weakening encryption standards which are essential to online commerce. Could even be extended to authentication standards which there can be no legal restriction on.

[debatem1]

Wouldn't this be "weak encryption is used for offensive purposes as well"?

[ryacko]

No, this would be [insult to the NSA] at the idea of packet injection by controlling all the major backbones, and endorsing unauthenticated protocols.

The DoD’s faith in PKI is so great that many public facing DoD websites are signed by the DoD root CA.

[CompanionCuuube]

Is a cloaking device a tool of attack?