- Germany edition
- Change edition:
- France |
- Norway |
- Spain |
- Sweden |
- Switzerland
Data protector 'cannot check police spyware'
Published: 12 Sep 12 12:18 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20120912-44919.html
Germany’s top data protection official has complained he cannot test how a spy computer program used by the police works – because the firm that made it will not help him examine it and the police do not have the source code.
- Germany sits on 'terror' data collection law - Science & Technology (23 Mar 12)
- Secret services ramp up online surveillance - Science & Technology (25 Feb 12)
- Hackers crack German government spy software - Science & Technology (9 Oct 11)
Schaar wrote in a letter that he was unable to check whether the spyware is doing more than it should and could – and that the BKA did not have the source code of the programs supplied by the company DigiTask.
He had been asked by the parliamentary domestic affairs committee to look into the controversial spyware – but he told the committee’s chairman Wolfgang Bosbach he could not do so.
“The manufacturers have made access dependent on contractual agreements, which I cannot accept,” wrote Schaar, adding that the firm was demanding he sign a legal gagging clause, and would charge €1,200 a day for the access. The BKA has said it would not pay.
He said he was unable to look at the source code in order to check it for legal data protection concerns, and said the BKA should have insisted the code be included in its order for the spyware.
DigiTask earns several hundred thousand euros from the state each year, the Frankfurter Rundschau said.
“An investigation method must be above all legal suspicion. We only want software which can do what it is allowed to do. I would understand if the data protection commissioner complains,” said Bosbach.
The Trojan spyware was hacked and heavily criticised last year by IT experts from the Chaos Computer Club, an association of computer and privacy experts.
The program allows security forces to monitor people’s computers and, it is alleged, to engage in unconstitutional activities such as controlling the camera and microphone of someone’s computer.
The Local/hc
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Germany's collective blame phobia
The Germans have a particular phobia – they live in constant fear of being blamed for something. A commentary by Der Tagesspiegel's Malte Lehming. READ () »
First bison born in wild 'for centuries'
A wild bison has been born in Germany for the first time in centuries. The lead female of a herd released from captivity in April gave birth to the calf on May 5th, it was revealed on Tuesday. READ () »
Conservatives demand East German symbol ban
Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU) called on Tuesday for symbols associated with the totalitarian socialist regime of former East Germany to be banned, in the same way that it is illegal to display Nazi memorabilia. READ () »
States to toughen laws on drunken cycling
German state interior ministers are hashing out a plan to lower the amount of alcohol cyclists can legally consume before getting on their bikes. The measures come as figures show one in 10 bike accidents are the result of drunk riders. READ () »
The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek dies at 74
Ray Manzarek, co-founder of legendary 1960s rock band The Doors and creator of their signature organ sound, died on Monday in Germany after a long battle with cancer, his manager said. He was 74. READ () »
England fans decry 'German' football jersey
The new jersey for England’s national football team has sparked the ire of English fans for looking too much like the kit archrivals Germany wore when they won the World Cup in 1974. READ () »
'My friends call me travelling x-ray salesman'
In the latest installment of My German Career, The Local spoke with New Zealander physicist Graham Appleby about Hamburg's high intensity x-ray beams and life in Germany's scientific community. READ () »
Germany seeks 'visible' Kosovo-Serbia progress
Germany has called for "visible" progress in implementing a landmark deal between Serbia and Kosovo before securing Berlin's backing for Belgrade's bid to join the European Union. READ () »
- 20/05 Germany grapples with nuclear energy phaseout »
- 14/05 German court cuts off Google's auto-complete »
- 12/05 West tested drugs on '50,000 East Germans' »
- 10/05 Third of new drugs 'offer no additional benefit' »
- 09/05 Study: shorter winters threaten Alpine wildlife »
- 09/05 How our brains grasp giggles, grunts, guffaws »
- 08/05 Hamburg's technicolour train stop wins prize »
- 08/05 Scientists: fear of illness can make you sick »
- 06/05 Scientists solve Monarch migration mystery »
- 06/05 German lake full of dead carp baffles officials »
- 21/05 Far right figure kills himself at Notre Dame »
- 21/05 French ministers face grilling over tax scandal »
More news from France at thelocal.fr
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
- 21/05 Seven arrested over Stockholm's Husby riots »
- 21/05 'The future of freedom on the internet is at stake' »
More news from Sweden at thelocal.se
More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch
See all ads | Join the Marketplace
-
British Corner Shop
British Corner Shop - The online supermarket for expats -
Chambervelt Rooselain & Cie Ltd.
Insurance and financial planning for English speakers in Germany -
Weiss Institut
Free yourself from Smoking addictions, Sugar craving and Alcohol addictions -
Shiply Worldwide Ltd
Shiply the Online Transport Market Place -
PsyShrink Munich
The Expat Psychologists in Munich, Frankfurt and worldwide -
PsyShrink Frankfurt
The Expat Psychologists in Munich, Frankfurt and worldwide
858 jobs available
568 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today
- MRI Scientist - Diagnostics & Biomedical Technologies (m/f)
- Application Engineer (professional level)
- Database Engineer with IAM knowhow (professional level)
- Manager for our Information Risk Management Team (m/f)
- Program Assistant (m/f)
- Assistant Student Office (f/m)
- Senior Consultant (w/m) Advisory mit Schwerpunkt Tax Performance and Advisory Services / Düsseldorf
- Social Media Practitioner/ Web-Master (m/f)
- Research Director, Telecoms, TV & Media
- Fulfilment Manager (m/f) - Marketing within FMCG sector
- Apr/09 Touring Tempelhof – Europe’s Largest Historical Monument
- Apr/09 Spring in Berlin 2013 – Where, What Why and When!
- Mar/12 Living Like a Local – Tell us what you think and win a weekend in Berlin!
- Feb/04 Escaping the City – Our Recommended Suburban Getaways
- Feb/04 Berlin Tegel Airport Transfers – How to get into the City
Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your
style? Find a German sweetheart here.
Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather
section.
Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.
Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of
charge.
Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
- “Preserve the proven, shape the new” – the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart
For more than thirty years, Helmuth Rilling shaped the international Bach Academy; now he is succeeded by Hans-Christoph Rademann. - ‘Open Mike’ – Fireworks with the Buddha
The Berlin ‘Open Mike’ entered this year its twentieth edition. - On the Stage, the Spoken Word Prevails
In January 2013 the annual meeting of the Dramaturgical Society took place in Munich; its theme: “Speaking on Stage – and about Theatre”... - The Magician of Images – Klaus Ensikat
With the technique of an Old Master and subtle humour, the award-winning graphic designer and illustrator Klaus Ensikat has for fifty years produced ingenious illustrations for literary classics and children’s books.... - A Picture Every Day – Philip Waechter
Philip Waechter, son of the famous illustrator and cartoonist Friedrich Karl Waechter, is one of the best-known contemporary writers and illustrators of children’s books....
- Conference - Pioneers on Dual Training Abroad
Germany‘s system of dual training is one of the foundations of its economic strength. - The all-German final in Wembley
Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund are playing in the final of the Champions League at London’s Wembley Stadium. - German first feature film in Cannes
A directorial debut from Germany makes it to the competition “Un Certain Regard” at the famous film festival on the Côte d’Azur. - Traveling Germany: Europa-Park
Think theme parks:Roller coasters, colorful rides, entertainment, thrills. Think Germany: Europa-Park is the largest amusement park in the country, second in Europe only to Disneyland Paris. - Frankfurt – the digital hub
The Internet hub in Frankfurt am Main is the largest in the world and places Germany in a leading position in the digital world.
- Theatre festival between the Saar and the Mosel
The Festival Perspectives in the German-French region around Saarbrücken is staging European theatre, dance and music productions. - The European Year of Citizens
2013 is the European Year of Citizens. - Europe Day, Robert Schuman and Class 4a
Enthusiasm for the idea of Europe – in the 60th European Competition, schoolchildren from Germany show what this could look like. - Relief organizations
The portals presented here provide information on the help programs offered by different organizations.
- (Junior) Event Manager
- Design Engineer Aerospace in Toulouse
- Design Feasibility Engineer / Craftsmanship Engineer (m/f)
- Electrical Engineer Stationary Energy Storage
- Ph.D. student - Security & Privacy in Vehicular Communication
- Product Safety Engineer – Subsea Services
- Segment Manager Marketing (m/f)
- Business Development Manager Formable
- Finance Director
- Accountant
- 19/05 Car Boot Sale Herford
- 17/05 paid internship
- 17/05 Florida resident seeks job in baden Baden Germany
- 17/05 Berlin Writing Group
- 17/05 cheap car hire
- 15/05 Queen size bed & frame
- 00:48 The Good life!
- 00:24 Working from home in Germany: pros and cons
- 00:04 Let's cocktail! Ladies Night in Frankfurt =)
- 23:55 Registration of residence in Munich (Anmeldung)
- 23:52 Calling all video gamers
- 23:21 Gyms with TRX suspension training
- 22:59 Lets Meet! 30+ Ladies Meet Up in Frankfurt@Daytime
- 22:36 Claiming tax deductions
- 22:34 Taking my daughter on holiday to Pakistan
- 22:25 Meetup for Uni Students (or not)
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
'Charming, old, beamed cottage for holiday let in Jesus Pobre, Alicante, Spain
www.littlehouseinspain.com/
Professional and qualified consultancy on all insurance and finance matters in Germany, Telephone: +49 2163 571 1740, Email: bg@albatross-assurance.com
www.albatross-assurance.com
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Your comments about this article:
And now, only about two decades later, the modern world must be a Stasi official's wet dream... sure, most of the time, you don't have people physically staking you out and following you around anymore and keeping hand typed files on you, like in the award-winning movie "Das Leben der Anderen"... but then, with today's technology, you don't have to anymore. All you need to do is pull that person's file which has been generated automatically by a person's online activities (think data retention, or more recently, mass mobile phone cell queries as carried out illegally by the governments in Saxony and Hamburg) Or you slip them a trojan on their computer.
It's shocking when you think that today's world is more and more becoming a continuation of the East German stasi state.
Oh yeah, and hidemyass/shieldsup/etc aint gonna help you against "big bro" (NSA/GCHQ/etc tech capabilities are damned scary)...
You're right ofcourse but why make it too easy for them. Secure VPN, Firewall, antivirus, bot/spam remover ect.
When they install this trojan on your PC, it doesnt matter what you use, it is operating FROM your PC, and I assume there is no antivirus/antimalware software that knows about this trojan, thus it cannot be detected.
That would be incorrect, AFAIK, most antivirus software can currently detect/remove it. Of course, new variants can be released into the wild at any time and these may not be detected for a while. However, the more comprehensive antivirus packages have measures to limit the possibilities for files downloaded from the Internet and to detect/prevent behaviour like that of a virus or trojan for all unknown programs.