November 2023 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

THREE (GOP-INSPIRED) STEPS TO REBUILD TRUST IN ELECTIONS NOVEMBER 9, 2023 GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE BRAD RAFFENSPERGER AND OTHER REPUBLICAN LEADERS LAY OUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE 2024 ELECTION
by Gunnar Larson 11 Nov '23

11 Nov '23

THREE (GOP-INSPIRED) STEPS TO REBUILD TRUST IN ELECTIONS NOVEMBER 9, 2023 GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE BRAD RAFFENSPERGER AND OTHER REPUBLICAN LEADERS LAY OUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE 2024 ELECTION Four adults sit on a stage and talk under a screen that reads Only 40% of Republicans said they were very or somewhat confident in the accuracy of U.S. elections, according to a new Gallup poll, down from a high of 90% in 2006. A coalition of Republican state election officials is urging states to act now to rebuild at least some trust before the 2024 presidential election. “Our democracy cannot hold if its citizens do not trust that elections accurately reflect the will of the people,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who oversaw the state’s tightly contested 2020 election, said in a joint statement with Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, and Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson. https://washingtondc.jhu.edu/news/three-gop-inspired-steps-to-rebuild-trust…

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Anonymity for all - mixmasters for the masses - globalized anarchism now!
by professor rat 10 Nov '23

10 Nov '23

These are cryptoanarchist benchmarks and stand in total opposition to all govt KYC/ AML measures. There is only one question - who is to be master? - that is all ( Humpty Dumpty ) Cypherpunks are all about privacy for the poor and transparency for the powerful. Amirite? The possibility of anonymous speech, and publication is vital for an open society and genuine freedom of speech. " Speech ’ is also defined as computer code.in US law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernstein_v._United_States Apple cited Bernstein v. US in its refusal to hack the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, saying that they could not be compelled to “speak” (write code) The general sentiment of mankind is that a man who will not fight for himself, when he has the means of doing so, is not worth being fought for by others, and this sentiment is just. For a man who does not value freedom for himself will never value it for others, or put himself to any inconvenience to gain it for others. Such a man, the world says, may lie down until he has sense enough to stand up. It is useless and cruel to put a man on his legs, if the next moment his head is to be brought against a curbstone. Advocates for KYC/ AML sound like they will die in the ditch for any govts right to suppress us code-talkers. Perhaps its time we indulged them. The same rotten creepy criminals want to attack our rights of association and disassociation via mixmasters ( " Everyone a remailer " ) They would drag us all back to the dark ages. Naturally, they have all earned killing. " Government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe—“That government is best which governs not at all” Thoreau " . . . governance should be decentralized… The real question is how decentralized governance should be applied in every particular case." https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/11/35733564/blockchain-r… Reposts from corpse-media sources would smell as sweet - but not for much longer

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#Alert eIDAS 2.0 (EU wants to force browsers to use potentially insecure government certificates)
by zeynep＠keemail.me 10 Nov '23

10 Nov '23

Hello I hope everyone is ok. I think this issue is important so I think all of you should read this email I wrote. For years, I have been immersed in the world of cryptography and have worked as a researcher in the field of digital privacy. Recently, there have been numerous developments that give cause for concern. As a digital privacy activist, I am committed to raising awareness about the critical need for robust privacy protections in today's interconnected world. The ever-expanding digital landscape necessitates vigilant advocacy to ensure that individuals rights to privacy are upheld and respected. “The EU's planned laws would use emerging technologies to detect new and existing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child grooming activities, and would give national authorities the power to oblige digital services to scan users’ communications, including encrypted messages.” https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/10/19/planned-eu-laws-on-child-sexu… The proposed legislation mandates the implementation of a compulsory scanning protocol for communication service providers, encompassing social media platforms and instant messaging applications, which facilitate the exchange of textual, auditory, photographic, and video content inclusive of all user data. The eIDAS 2.0 proposal, aimed at establishing a secure framework for trust services within the EU, has raised concerns due to recent undisclosed alterations made during the legislative process. These changes, allowing Member States to access encrypted data, raise alarming implications for mass surveillance. Collaborating with esteemed scientists and NGOs, an open letter has been crafted to address these critical risks and propose concrete solutions to ensure enhanced privacy protections in the eIDAS 2.0 framework. This letter meticulously outlines the substantial risks associated with the eIDAS 2.0 proposal and offers concrete suggestions for mitigating these issues. The letter is here: https://nce.mpi-sp.org/index.php/s/cG88cptFdaDNyRr As an individual deeply invested in digital privacy and security, I find myself increasingly apprehensive about the implications of the eIDAS 2.0 proposal. While the initial intent was to establish a fortified legal framework for trust services within the EU, recent undisclosed alterations have raised significant concerns. One of the most troubling aspects is the provision granting Member States the authority to insert their keys into browsers, enabling the interception of encrypted traffic. This opens the door to potential mass surveillance, infringing upon the fundamental right to privacy. Additionally, the restrictions on security checks for encryption keys, limited by ETSI, pose a potential roadblock to the development of innovative, higher-level protective measures. Furthermore, the proposal's commendable effort to create a digital wallet for mobile identity is marred by a critical oversight. Citizens should have the option to employ anonymous credentials or pseudonyms to shield their online interactions. Unfortunately, the current draft makes the implementation of unlinkability optional, potentially subjecting citizens privacy to the discretion of the Member State with the weakest safeguards. These concerns are not merely speculative, but rooted in the need to protect individual liberties in an increasingly interconnected digital landscape. It is imperative that we prioritize privacy rights and work towards a balanced framework that ensures the security of trust services without compromising personal freedoms. In addition, most artificial intelligence systems are inherently flawed, rendering them susceptible to potential misuse under the law. Governments, under the pretext of combating child exploitation, can scan the data of a majority of users, thereby infringing upon fundamental human rights. This grants governments the power to surveil and exert control over any citizen at their discretion. Perhaps we can discuss what we might accomplish together. Regards Zeynep Aydoğan

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Dems pass new law requiring a 'kill switch' in all new vehicles sold after 2026
by jim bell 10 Nov '23

10 Nov '23

Read "Dems pass new law requiring a ‘kill switch’ in all new vehicles sold after 2026" on SmartNews: https://l.smartnews.com/p-LHKKH/tb2tun

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Assasins move in on Zuckerberg
by pro2rat＠yahoo.com.au 09 Nov '23

09 Nov '23

Imagining the death of CEO bitch, Zuckface just got a lot easier. Like eliminating the head of " Life Invader " in GTA Five. Assassin's Creed Maker Ubisoft Is reportedly Building a Crypto 'Gaming Experience' With Immutable Ubisoft and Immutable are supposedly developing a new blockchain gaming project that plans to offer "digital ownership." So why waste energy griefing other playas when you could be helping cryptoanarchists liquidate billionaires as a class? Viva la revolution!

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Crypto has more than one fraudster, SEC Chair Gary Gensler says
by jdb10987＠yahoo.com 09 Nov '23

09 Nov '23

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The Register: Bad eIDAS: Europe ready to intercept, spy on your encrypted HTTPS connections
by jdb10987＠yahoo.com 08 Nov '23

08 Nov '23

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Making Grok laugh
by pro2rat＠yahoo.com.au 08 Nov '23

08 Nov '23

Grok has a great sense of humour and sees the funny side of bearing false witness - by calling Elon Musk a pedophile, for example. And you can share a laugh with Grok in real time as it sees whats happening to grarpamps style politics in the last empire today. LOL GOP snapshot https://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/its-like-theyre-not-even-trying-anymo… Reposts not reams of cointelpro crap from FBI agent Semich

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AI: X.com Launches Grok Language Model
by grarpamp 08 Nov '23

08 Nov '23

https://x.ai/ xAI @xai @grok @xdaily Nov 5 Announcing Grok! Grok is an AI modeled after the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, so intended to answer almost anything and, far harder, even suggest what questions to ask! Grok is designed to answer questions with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak, so please don’t use it if you hate humor! A unique and fundamental advantage of Grok is that it has real-time knowledge of the world via the 𝕏 platform. It will also answer spicy questions that are rejected by most other AI systems. Grok is still a very early beta product – the best we could do with 2 months of training – so expect it to improve rapidly with each passing week with your help. Thank you, the xAI Team x.ai

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Cryptocurrency: Govts Claim Human Privacy Is Criminal, Force 1984 Court Secrecy Chainalysis
by grarpamp 08 Nov '23

08 Nov '23

US Government Frames Bitcoin Privacy As "Criminal" https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/us-government-frames-bitcoin-privacy-as-c… https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.232431/gov.uscourt… https://go.chainalysis.com/rs/503-FAP-074/images/Crypto_Crime_Report_2023.p… Authored by 'L0la L33tz' via BitcoinMagazine.com, In another unfortunate turn of events for anyone hoping their right to privacy to be protected as guaranteed by the US Constitution, the UN Declaration of Human Rights, or applicable state and federal law, the US government has argued that the disclosure of proprietary Chainalysis heuristics information in the case US vs. Sterlingov would “jeopardize numerous law enforcement investigations and impact the effectiveness of law enforcement tracing tools” by enabling the development of “criminal countermeasures to blockchain analysis.” The oath each and every US government employee pledges when first taking office reads: “I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God." Apparently, this oath is only applicable so long it serves the US government’s agenda. While attempting to retain a protective order to seal the disclosure of Chainalysis heuristic information, the US government has, in essence, argued that the right to privacy does not exist when transacting on the blockchain. In the newly released court documents, the US government defines software developed to protect individual financial privacy on the blockchain, such as coinjoins, as “adversarial”, contending that the disclosure of Chainalysis training methods and techniques bears the reasonable expectation to enable “circumvention of the law.” Unfortunately, it is unclear which laws the US government is referring to. The argument that the disclosure would enable “ criminals, drug trafficking organizations, and terrorists” to circumvent law enforcement cannot be made in good faith, as Chainalysis’ own 2023 Crypto Crime Report has found the overall transaction volume of illicit activity to lay at merely 0.24%. Just as the early internet was allegedly only used for crime, the share of day-to-day commerce on the blockchain increases as Bitcoin adoption grows. It therefore cannot be argued that the development of privacy protecting software is adversarial in any sense of the word, except to Chainalysis’ business model and the surveillance agenda of the US intelligence complex, who invested $1.67 Million USD in Chainalysis in 2020 and another $1.64 Million USD in 2021 via the Central Intelligence Agency’s venture capital fund In-Q-Tel. As long as the development and use of privacy protecting software such as PGP, E2EE or VPNs cannot be deemed as criminal under the first and fourth amendment, neither can the development or use of software aimed to protect one’s financial privacy in Bitcoin. However, it appears that constitutional frameworks do not stop the US government from putting forward statements which directly undermine the people’s right to protection from unwarranted surveillance. Classifying blockchain surveillance countermeasures as criminal is just another step the US government has been taking towards the total surveillance of US citizen’s communications in recent years. In 2015, congress voted for the prolonging of the Patriot Act via the USA Freedom Act, which continues to allow the bulk collection of telecommunication data via telecommunications providers, and the proposed EARN IT Act, which, in essence, would outlaw end-to-end encryption. So far, the only attempt to circumvent the law in the US government’s response to minute order is to be found in its own argumentation.

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