re: China grants WLAN technology rights to more companies

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: matthew patton <pattonme () yahoo com>

<quote>

While any Chinese company that has been approved to produce commercial
encryption products can apply for the rights to license WAPI, the
Chinese government will not grant licensing rights to foreign
companies, Li said. Existing regulations do not permit foreign
companies to have access to commercial encryption technology used in
China, she said.

"This will add cost to end users but considering the higher safety the
new standard provides, it is acceptable," Li said.

</quote>

I'm surprised I haven't seen some real flack over this. if wifi was so
bad the right way to fix it's security is to work thru the committees
so that all would benefit. Given that China is a communist and
repressive regime and not exactly a champion of free thought and
political expression coupled with the above details that the
technology is and will remain proprietary and closely held among
presumably loyal Chinese companies anyone want to guess how "secure"
their protocol really is? I say it's probably easily compromised so
that the gov't can snoop trivially. I'm surprised the Western media
isn't scoffing openly at the Chinese disengenous position. Do they
really think we're that dumb?

And there might be an even more crass angle - by refusing to license
an international standard they don't have to pay anybody any money for
it, AND the force the suppliers to pay to play. Why did we ever give
these fools most favored trading status?

I'm not plugged into the Chinese dissident movement but I sure hope
they use ISAKMP/IKE from the likes of OpenBSD to do their security and
simply not use wifi or this other thing.

=====
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each
 other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

Hurt and disappointment enter every marriage from time to time.
When this happens, we choose to either forgive or develop
resentment. Love will not last if we do not learn to forgive.



-
ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org

To unsubscribe email majordomo () attrition org with 'unsubscribe isn'
in the BODY of the mail.