CBS News recently spoke with Mr. Joel Brenner, who they described as "the nation’s top cyber-security official" about the security risks facing U.S. travelers planning on attending the Beijing Olympics.
The travel advisory was blunt: "All information you send electronically-by fax machine, personal digital assistant (PDA), computer or telephone-can be intercepted." It was of course non-news.
Then came an exchange between Mr. Brenner and reporter Bob Orr that must have come as a surprise to at least a few viewers:
Brenner: "The public security services in China can turn your telephone on and activate its microphone when you think it's off."
Orr: If the phone's in my pocket, and it's off, you're saying an outside force, an outside agent can turn it on?
Brenner: Yeah
Orr: And listen to what I'm doing?
Brenner: That is what I'm saying.
Orr: And my Blackberry?
Brenner: Same thing.
Well, there you have it. The head of U.S. cyber-security is a card carrying member of the tin-foil hat brigade. I mean really. Even if it were possible for some shadowy (Chinese) government agency to turn my phone on after I had PUSHED--AND HELD/SLID-- THE OFF BUTTON... what would I have to worry about? I’ve done nothing wrong, and therefore have nothing to hide. Isn't that the way the argument goes?
Anyways, maybe it's Mr. Brenner who's got something to hide... or maybe he's got something or other he just doesn't want us thinking too much about.
Sure glad the ol' US of A would never sell my sovereign rights down the river like those sneaky Chinese.
UPDATE: For reasons unknown, the video which was hosted on the CBS website appears to have been taken down. I've updated my link to point to the same video, now hosted by cnet.com.
www.indepublica.com