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0 pointscobbal1y ago0 comments

It's interesting that cert pinning cuts both ways though. It can also be a tool to give users power against the IT department (typically indistinguishable from malware)

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TeMPOraL1y ago

Cert pinning often annoyingly works against both - software devs are a third party to both the organizational users and their IT dept overlords.

Trusted computing is similar, too. It's a huge win for the user in terms of security, as long as the user owns the master key and can upload their own signatures. If not, then it suddenly becomes a very powerful form of control.

The more fundamental issue is the distinction between "user" and "owner" of a computer - or its component, or a piece of software - as they're often not the same people. Security technologies assert and enforce control of the owner; whether that ends up empowering or abusive depends on who the owners are, and why.

wkat42421y ago

> The more fundamental issue is the distinction between "user" and "owner" of a computer - or its component, or a piece of software - as they're often not the same people.

Often? Only really in the case of a corporate computer. But Android locks these things down for everyone. In fact corporate owners can do things normal users can't.

For example I've heard (not confirmed) that with a Knox license you can add root CAs on Samsung. I don't think it's still possible with other MDMs or other vendors.

TeMPOraL1y ago

> Often? Only really in the case of a corporate computer.

On the contrary, that's the more common case. It's the case with any computer at work (unless you're IT dept), in any work - there's hardly a job now that doesn't have one interacting with computers in some form or fashion, and those computers are very much not employee-owned. Same is the case in school setting, and so on. About the only time you can expect to own a computer is when you bought it yourself, with your own cash. The problem is, even when you do, everything is set up these days to deny you your ownership rights.

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TeMPOraL1y ago

Cert pinning often annoyingly works against both - software devs are a third party to both the organizational users and their IT dept overlords.

wkat42421y ago

> The more fundamental issue is the distinction between "user" and "owner" of a computer - or its component, or a piece of software - as they're often not the same people.

Often? Only really in the case of a corporate computer. But Android locks these things down for everyone. In fact corporate owners can do things normal users can't.

For example I've heard (not confirmed) that with a Knox license you can add root CAs on Samsung. I don't think it's still possible with other MDMs or other vendors.

TeMPOraL1y ago

> Often? Only really in the case of a corporate computer.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse