Law

Podcast Episode 121: DMCA Exemptions Set Stage for Right to Repair Fight and DHS Cyber Makeover

In this episode of the Security Ledger podcast (#121): the Librarian of Congress gave a big boost to right to repair advocates in late October when she granted exemptions provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act covering repair of most electronic devices. We talk to US PIRG’s Right to Repair campaign coordinator Nathan Proctor about the ruling and what it means for efforts to pass state level right to repair laws. Also: President Trump signed a major overhaul of the Department of Homeland Security’s cyber security operation into law last week. Jamil Jaffer of the firm IronNet joins us to talk about what it will mean for U.S. cyber readiness and about the need for more international coordination on cyber threats. 

As Right to Repair Effort Falters, Massachusetts moves to study Impact

After failing to move a bill to enshrine a right to repair consumer electronics to a vote, the state lawmakers in Massachusetts are pushing to study the economic impact of right to repair legislation.

Episode 101: Ink Jet Nation? Doctorow on a Dystopian IoT and City of Atlanta Employees phished on Rogue Wi-Fi

In this episode of the podcast (#101): will the Internet of Things enable a glorious future of intelligent and subservient “things”? Or will it birth “ink jet nation:” a dystopia of closed and expensive technology silos that use patents, software licensing and lawsuits constrain the use, reuse and repair of connected things? We talk to author and activist Cory Doctorow following his keynote at last week’s Security of Things Forum. Also: the city of Atlanta has made headlines after a ransomware outbreak crippled city services. But the city may have more to worry about: wireless phishing attacks targeting government employees and elected officials. We speak with Dror Liwer of the firm Coronet about what they found. 

Eric Lundgren, IT Access Partners

Episode 99: Are we criminalizing reuse? An Exclusive Interview with Eric Lundgren

In this week’s episode of The Security Ledger Podcast (#99), we bring you an exclusive interview with Eric Lundgren, the celebrated entrepreneur who has helped revolutionize the recycling of electronic waste through his company IT Asset Partners, but who will soon start serving a 13 month jail sentence for copyright infringement for distributing Microsoft Windows “restore CDs.” Together, we wonder if The Internet of Things is leading us into a future in which giant software companies and thing makers use copyright law and the courts to prosecute non-sanctioned use of their technology. 

China Using Big Brother-Like System to Track, Monitor Minorities

China has developed a Big Brother-like system of surveillance and big-data technology to monitor and incriminate ethnic minorities by using their personal information to deem them government threats.