Government plans to store records in massive database
The government is planning a massive database to hold the details of citizens' phone calls, e-mail messages and internet sessions, reports the Times, as part of the fight against crime and terrorism.
ISPs and telecoms companies would be forced to hand over the records to the Home Office under the plan, says the paper.
The information would be held for at least 12 months and the police and the security services would be able to access it after getting permission from the courts.
Critics of the proposed scheme say having the information all in one place will make it more vulnerable to data breaches.
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The government is planning a massive database to hold the details of citizens' phone calls, e-mail messages and internet sessions, reports the Times, as part of the fight against crime and terrorism.
ISPs and telecoms companies would be forced to hand over the records to the Home Office under the plan, says the paper.
The information would be held for at least 12 months and the police and the security services would be able to access it after getting permission from the courts.
Home Office officials are said to have discussed the option of the national database with telecoms firms and ISPs, in the run up to a data communications bill set to appear in November's Queen's Speech.
The scheme is an extension of the EU directive adopted on comms record keeping which has been in force since last October.
At the moment, individual service providers store the records for 12 months, but the government wants all the information in one place to make it easier for enforcement agencies to access.
Critics of the proposed scheme say having the information all in one place will make it more vulnerable to data breaches.
Source: <a href='http://www.computerweekly.com/230749.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.computerweekly.com/230749.htm
Zer0Man
Uber0n 16 years ago
Sweden has recently done the same thing, although it's even worse here. They log and scan all mails, calls, traffic etc that crosses the border :xx:
Mr_Cheese 16 years ago
over in the UK the gouvernment is crap at data protection. they save highly sensitive files to CD and then hire the cheapest and most corrupt courier to transfer it… who "loose" it in the post. wouldnt surprise me if they hosted this system on a home server on a PC in their office.
ghost 16 years ago
I do belive it would cause a massive security risk, and even then, if they had to send the information over the internet to one place, or did something along the lines of having a database of direct connections to the isp's logs, regardless, it could mean the potetial for exloits giving "hackers" access to governmental computers. Also, may allow suck "hackers" to get into information online about individuals, potentially violating the rights of such people.
But that's just my thoughts on this topic.
Uber0n 16 years ago
@ferasdour: You definately have a point there. What if this database isn't secure? ;)
ghost 16 years ago
There are so many security breeches everyone it isn't even funny, ferasdour has a point if its not secure or someone finds a hole everyone suffers, because all the shit that passes through the web is incredible bank accounts, social security numbers, passwords, pictures. and that's just counting the non illegal shit. i can see how it would make law enforcement easier, BUT it offers a HUGE target for crackers and terrorists to hit, i would much rather the government stops being lazy *(come on they they are supposed to be better then us) if they have to go the "long way" to find info spread all over the web that is much better, i would rather pay an extra 30 cents more on tax for that, because 1 fucking hole and we all suffer. of course knowing the government they will charge us to build this and loose our info to terrorists.
ghost 16 years ago
I'm more worried about false positives. How many fucking terrorists do you honestly think there are in America? And why do we really need these db?
TheSilentDrifter 16 years ago
wow… now i've seen everything. I think the government should stay out of peoples business, but then that would be true freedom wouldn't it, and they can't allow that. :@
Zer0Man 16 years ago
With all the personal data that Government departments have lost up to date this'll be another nail in the coffin for Gordon Brown if data is 'lost' from this 'citizens' database. :|
ghost 16 years ago
Wouldn't be surprised if it was hosted on windows 95 box. They would certainly save money on all the CD's they where "losing"
ghost 16 years ago
The only way this could be done "safely" is if the database would be offline (not accessible from the internet). But then, they would have to walk all the way over to that computer, and that would be very uncomfortable as opposed to putting it online and running the risk of being hacked but not having to get up from that comfy lazy chair, wouldn't it? (ironic)
ghost 16 years ago
Is there a way we can stop ISP to not see what we are doing becuase they are going to start watching what we download and shit and i dont like it one bit and its just ridiculous what happened to free speech too? recording our phone calls, emails etc! we need to stop this. PM me anyone if there is anything we can do let me know.
ghost 16 years ago
I know I'm a noob but can't the hacker community start our own internet not connected to the www by having our own servers and linking them?
ghost 16 years ago
nutyherb, you are a jackass. How exactly do you plan to "link them", since you put it so eloquently? Also… what is the point? At least you didn't post it in the forums… would've been harder for me to find a gem like that one.
Oh… and great news. Now I know where to go for my blackmail material.
ghost 16 years ago
Hey, Isnt this a major mistake on their part because it is like what cubeman said. If you have the ability to take out the computers, you can take out society. …
thehacker3 16 years ago
If this doesnt make any of you nervous idk wats wrong with you. Think of the bigger picture. This is just the first step, they'll take further actions after this… We can safely say that if they do that then half of us won't even be able to approach computers… As for what nutyherb said, i understand what he meant, he just didnt realize that in order to link all our computers together, we need internet which is given to us by isp's which are giving our info to governments…
would encryption prevent the gov't from reading our internet data?
p4plus2 16 years ago
Whatever is programmed can be unprogrammed… All it takes is one person to unprogram whatever it is… Multiply that by 1000000+ people that would try to hack this and the united states will crumble to the mercy of a hackers. As for me, I think this is the absolute STUPIDEST IDEA to ever hit this country.
@thehacker3:
yes it very much could. HOWEVER, it would have to be unencrypted for people to read so the you must tell them how to decryption. on a second note however if you use a SSL connection it would defiantly hide many parts of the data you are sending to a server.