NSA Encryption Plan for IOT Rejected by ISO

[upnorth]

Content source

https://www.wikitribune.com/story/2018/04/20/business/exclusive-nsa-encryption-plan-for-internet-of-things-rejected-by-international-body/

An attempt by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) to set two types of encryption as global standards suffered a major setback on Tuesday, after online security experts from countries including U.S. allies voted against the plan, for use on the “internet of things.” A source at an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) meeting of expert delegations in Wuhan, China, told WikiTribune that the U.S. delegation, including NSA officials, refused to provide the standard level of technical information to proceed. The vote is the latest setback for the NSA’s plan, which was pruned in September after ISO delegates expressed distrust and concerns that the U.S. agency could be promoting encryption technology it knew how to break, rather than the most secure.

The NSA had originally been promoting a broader range of encryption technologies, but during a three-year dispute behind closed doors, delegates from other countries expressed concern over the NSA’s motives. Several cited information leaked by Edward Snowden, which showed the agency had previously planned to manipulate standards and promote technology it could penetrate, as a source of distrust, according to documents seen by Reuters.