Government Stops Security Patches

While the proposal does not specify what technical changes would require notification, these may include changes in the architecture of software that would interfere with the U.K.’s current surveillance powers. As a result, an operator of a messaging service wishing to introduce an advanced security feature would now have to first let the Home Office know in advance. Device manufacturers would likely also have to notify the government before making available important security updates that fix known vulnerabilities and keep devices secure. Accordingly, the Secretary of State, upon receiving such an advance notice, could now request operators to, for instance, abstain from patching security gaps to allow the government to maintain access for surveillance purposes.

A highlighted excerpt from an article explains that the U.K. government could require companies to notify it before releasing security updates and potentially stop them from patching vulnerabilities. The joke is that a policy supposedly about notification could let surveillance authorities preserve access by blocking basic cybersecurity fixes. It is used as a sarcastic reaction to government overreach and weakened digital security.

• @gentoomemes / 5940 2023-08-23