The point is that all software engineers (in Australia) being able to be co-opted as saboteurs is a fairly "meaningful" problem and should be a concern to everyone...
Even someone's little SaaS can be asked to turn up dirt on someone. I literally couldn't comply. I don't write encryption algorithms for a living I just build websites. I can't not encrypt people's data and according to european laws I can't store most of it anyway. Here, gov, have a username, email address, and this blob of encrypted text. Enjoy the insight.
It's getting so hostile to do business in software. At least construction and engineering liabilities are clear cut. I don't even know what my risks factors are anymore and they change every month.
It took longer than expected, but the governments have finally decided it's time to ruin the internet. I am going to go be a carpenter or something.
What a shitshow.
You’re clearly smart and lucid. Me perhaps less so but I have some spare time. Who else? Where are they gathering? What can I do?
I’m talking basic communications and publicity stuff, not anything anarchistic. Helping non-tech journalists. Writing articles to help the public understand this stuff. Lobbying MPs.
Maybe I just found a way to keep myself busy...
I don't think you'd have to "break encryption" or do anything advanced, the main thing they're looking to ask is to circumvent encryption. For example sending the plaintext password for a specific user from the login form, or OS backdoor, etc., delivered through a special software update just for that user. Additionally the wording of the law does not allow for an inability for you to do it, I believe you would be compelled to hire someone that can.
How do you advertise for the position? Lie about the job and then once they are on board the government hits them with the no-tell paperwork? What a shitty person I would have to become to make that happen, and I would have no choice at that point.
Perhaps they would have a saboteur on staff they would be willing to lend. Very hard position to hire for, no doubt.
Actually I'm not sure you could hire a contractor, since you'd probably be under a secrecy constraint and wouldn't be able to tell them what needed to be done.
Honestly, not bad advice.
Given the politics and bs around the big corps and govt ministries my skillsets fit into (business analyst/pm) a trade has been something I've been considering seriously for a while now. The peace of mind and lack of toxic office cultures is really appealing. They're apprenticeships too, so you're paid as you learn.
Being in NZ, I wonder: do you know Mike Rowe, from the American TV show 'Dirty Jobs'? If not I encourage you to research him and the TV show. It's not very often I recommend television.
Just thought I'd note that. This is crazy.
This is something I'm seriously considering. I live in Europe anyway, and at this rate I have zero interest in ever living in Australia again. I won't return, and I won't do anything to support Australia in any way, if I have to go down this path.
The Australian government has truly committed a hostile act against its own citizens.
On the other hand, if I were a global company developing proprietary software with development offices in Australia I'd be pretty concerned... and complain loudly and publicly and lay down what the consequences will be. Maybe there could already have been court orders and ways to compel companies to assist at the management level (in probably any country), and maybe there could potentially be moles (from any country) hiding anywhere, but if the more tinfoil hat interpretations are correct this turns every employee on that continent into a mole, and even worse, risks accidental compromises through incompetence (beyond the specific target of a warrant/order/whatever). Right?
In the late 90s I recall hearing of crypto work being done in Australia to avoid the crypto export laws of certain other countries. If I'm remembering that correctly, its software development economy may have benefited in the past from other countries making choices like these, and I suppose it will now suffer. Why would a bank or whatever want to expose itself to that? Australian offices could totally finish up blacklisted for certain software projects.
There was a "consultation period" and 99.7% of the submissions were against it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/a3j466/assistanc... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dowpZ_Xtr1N_DgkHJN8i...
All it took to convince the representatives and senators was for a submission from the Australian Federal Police that it was necessary to investigate threats over Christmas.