What happened to encryption

[imlad]

I am somewhat amused by the indignation of many a country/world leader about what other countries' (okay, American) diplomats write about them in cables to Washington - http://nyti.ms/hBneTs. It comes across as posturing, hence it comes across as pathetic. I appreciate the wikileaks posts for a

Comments

[novalis]

Encryption only protects against people who aren't supposed to have access. The cables were on SIPRnet, and over 3 million people were supposed to have access. This system was put in place after 9/11 to allow intelligence agencies to share data related to terrorism.

[benndragon]

This is what I was going to say - you can have the best locks ever made, but if one of the people with the keys decides to open the door your locks are useless.

[selfishgene]

No 'secret' available to 3 million people can rationally be called a secret. As Twain (?) said : three may keep a secret if two of them are dead. What is interesting is the NYT censoring some items. So these items are available to the entire planet. The Russian, Chinese, North Korean governments. The internet mafia groups, Al Queda etc. But Americans can't know about them? What does that say about how the elite views ordinary Americans?

[novalis]

Not to defend the NYT (it is indefensible), but so far Wikileaks *hasn't* released the whole archive, so the only stuff available what the six papers have chosen to release.