US Senate Goes HTTPS & Encrypted Messaging

FrgMstr

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
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While many lawmakers are talking about needing backdoors for encryption in our world, it seems as though the US Senate has decided that HTTPS is needed on its own site and its private messages need backdoor-free encryption as well.
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US Senator Ron Wyden penned a letter to the Senate welcoming them to the club. He also discusses the fact that the encrypted Signal messaging application has been approved for Senate usage as well. Now can I get a back door to check up on what I need to know about my Senators? This whole thing kind of makes me chuckle.

Both HardOCP and HardForum have been fully moved over to HTTPS now, and boy was that fun.
 
How political or politicized is the office of the Senate's Sargeant at Arms? Why would that person care about Wyden's policy position on cybersecurity? And was this letter intended to be publicly available so soon? The letter reads like more than a simple thank-you letter to an administrative staffer.
 
A quick search shows the Senate Sargent at Arms is elected by the Senate and basically serves as chief office manager, enforcer of Senate rules and official greeter of Visitors to the Senate.

Probably pretty political.

Guessing that Senator Wyden wants to look like he is on top of Cyber Security given all the recent publicity on a certain crytolocking malware. From the look of it, he is doing better then my US Congressman.
 
I disagree. To me that sounds apolitical, not political. That's why I asked if there's any reason to believe the job has been politicized beyond what the basic description implies. It sounds like an impartial person who has no reason to care what Wyden thinks about national security policy. Why would a neutral law enforcement officer on Capitol Hill get a letter from a Member of Congress that pontificates on questions that go way beyond the job of Sargeant at Arms?
Edit: After re-reading it, I realize the "pontification" is really only one sentence.
Dead Parrot said:
A quick search shows the Senate Sargent at Arms is elected by the Senate and basically serves as chief office manager, enforcer of Senate rules and official greeter of Visitors to the Senate.

Probably pretty political.
Click to expand...
 
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Dead Parrot said:
Guessing that Senator Wyden wants to look like he is on top of Cyber Security given all the recent publicity on a certain crytolocking malware. From the look of it, he is doing better then my US Congressman.
Click to expand...

When it comes to cybersecurity, privacy, etc.. Wyden is a pretty good guy.
 
I will give him credit for this one thing. Beyond that, he's a typical prostrating Oregon politician ruining the state.

If you live in the NW, try out 101.1 for Markley and Van Camp (these guys are hilarious) 9am / Lars at noon.
 
Got curious and decided to check the House website. Not HTTPS yet. Although some of the individual Representative sites are.
 
You would think security on government devices would be a priority and mandatory but that would make too much sense.
 
For the most part they should be publishing their communications. So this concerns me. Makes the 'deep state' thing seem more legitimate.


Encryption for me but not for thee.
 
If you look at the bottom of the linked document from Senator Wyden, his website link is HTTP://WYDEN.SENATE.GOV. Oooops. Perhaps he's been too busy to change his official letterhead.... for two years.
 
trparky said:
OK, I get it. Encryption is a good thing for the people of the government but normal citizens? Oh no, we can't have that. We must have backdoors to snoop on the citizens.
Click to expand...

But that's their view on everything, from health insurance to physical security, isn't it?
 
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