Handy Chart Tracks Proposed Amendments to Patriot Act: Via Threat Level.

Confused by all the proposed changes to the Patriot Act ricocheting through the Capitol? The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) has put together a handy chart comparing the current law with the various amendments in the House and Senate.

The chart compares proposed amendments (.pdf) to National Security Letters (NSLs) and the so-called “lone wolf” provisions of the Patriot Act. The proposals have only been passed by the judiciary committees, and face further amendments before they hit the full House and Senate for votes.

According to Gregory Nojeim, CDT’s director of project on freedom, security and technology, although neither of the current proposals goes far enough in fixing all of the problems that civil libertarians find in the Patriot Act, they do show improvements. [ Read more ... ]

One-minute WiFi crack puts further pressure on WPA: Via Law & Disorder Section - Ars Technica.

Researchers have come a step closer to breaking open a common WiFi encryption scheme. An attacker can now read and falsify short packets in the common TKIP version of WiFi Protected Access (WPA) encryption in about one minute—a huge speed increase from the previously-required 12-15 minutes. [ Read more ... ]

Security > Privacy Issues > CIPPIC study says DRM violates Canadian privacy law: Digital rights management (DRM) technology used in MP3s, DVDs, and most consumer software may be violating Canadian privacy laws, according to a new report.

DRM is an access control tool used by publishers or copyright holders and is designed to securely manage access and use of digital information or devices. Its primary purpose is to combat piracy and protect against copyright infringement. [ Read more ... ]

15 Surprising Ways RFID Will Affect Your Life in 2007: "If you're an RFID fanatic, you know how RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) will affect your life this year. In fact, you may dream about how this technology will change the world within the next decade - either in positive or negative ways. But, for those who haven't a clue about RFID proliferation and how these chips and their readers will modify your lifestyle, then the following list might surprise you. In fact, it may help you change your life today and become tech-savvy for 2008. [ Read more ... ]

Sparring begins over high-def movie DRM hacks: "The music world may be edging toward common ground on digital rights management, but the cat-and-mouse game between those developing copy-protection technologies and those hacking them is still in full swing. The latest skirmish involves next-gen DVD formats and a popular Windows media player.

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