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Australian government passes controversial world-first anti-encryption law amid broad criticism

Rich Haridy December 6, 2018

The Australian government yesterday passed a bill allowing law enforcement agencies to compel tech companies to hand over encrypted messaging data. The legislation has been broadly condemned with suggestions it could not only harm the Australian tech industry, but undermine encryption worldwide.

The Australian government has just passed an anti-encryption law that could have global implications

Computers

Apple slams Australia's anti-encryption bill, calling it "dangerously ambiguous"

Rich Haridy October 14, 2018

In an expansive submission to the Australian Parliament, Apple has strongly condemned the government’s prospective anti-encryption legislation, arguing “this is no time to weaken encryption,” and calling the draft outline “extraordinarily broad” and “dangerously ambitious.”

Australia's prospective anti-encryption legislation may be passed over the next few months

Telecommunications

Global quantum internet dawns, thanks to China's Micius satellite

Michael Irving January 23, 2018

Quantum encryption can make data breaches literally impossible, and in a new demonstration of that kind of security, scientists have now used the Chinese satellite Micius to send quantum-encrypted data between China and Austria. That brings the world another step closer to a global quantum internet.

The Micius satellite has sent quantum-encrypted data between China and Austria, bringing the world closer to ...

Computers

Wireless smart key auto locks a computer when the user walks away

Paul Ridden December 12, 2017

No matter how many notices are pinned around the office, some workers will forget to lock their computers when away from their desks. The Halberd will automatically take care of such things, wirelessly locking a workstation when a user strays beyond its range and granting access upon return.

The Halberd proximity-based access control fob is currently raising production funds on Kickstarter

Science

Genome cryptography is the new way to secure your DNA data

Rich Haridy August 21, 2017

DNA security is a looming problem that scientists and researchers are only just starting to grapple with. A team at Stanford has now developed a way to "cloak" irrelevant genomic information, allowing scientists to access key data without revealing an individual's broader genome sequence.

A new technique uses cryptography to keep most of an individual's entire genome secure, only allowing ...

Computers

Should companies be forced to build encryption backdoors into services?

Rich Haridy March 27, 2017

A recent revelation about the Westminster Bridge attacker's use of WhatsApp has rekindled the controversial debate over whether tech companies should implement backdoors that allow governments access to encrypted information on digital devices.

The controversial debate over whether tech companies should implement backdoors that allow governments access to encrypted ...

Electronics

Developing a quantum key system to make mobile transactions safer

Lisa-Ann Lee March 17, 2017

According to the experts, quantum cryptography is the most secure way to send data. Based on the laws of physics, any attempt to steal a quantum key not only changes it but also alerts the sender and receiver. So why not use it to make mobile transactions more secure, if not, hack-proof?

Using off-the-shelf materials, researchers from Oxford University built this hand-held prototype for receiving quantum keys. – ...

Quantum Computing

Scientists create prototype quantum hard drive

Colin Jeffrey January 12, 2015

Using atoms of the rare-earth element europium, scientists from the Australian National University have shattered previous records for quantum information retention by creating a storage device capable of holding quantum state information for up to six hours at a time.

Quantum information has been written onto europium atoms and stored for up to six hours in ...

Electronics

QR codes could generate 3D images on phones – no internet required

Ben Coxworth November 14, 2014

Most QR codes do the same thing – when a smartphone scans them with its camera, they trigger that phone's web browser to navigate to a given website. In the near future, however, they may be used to securely display 3D images on the user's phone, without even involving the internet.

Using a smartphone, users could scan QR codes to see encrypted 3D images (Photo: Shutterstock)

Mobile Technology

Apps to easily encrypt your text messaging and mobile calls

Heidi Hoopes September 27, 2014

Encrypted phone calls and texts are no longer just the domain of the expert or the "bad guy." Gizmag looks at free or inexpensive apps designed to secure your texts and phone calls from man-in-the-middle attacks, provider backdoors, and the weaknesses of plain text MMS.

Free or inexpensive apps to secure your mobile communications (Image: Shutterstock)