how european start-ups can make a business out of the us shut-down of privacy by the nsa, robert...

Robert KnappCo-founder and CEOCyberGhost SRL

www.cyberghostvpn.com

@rckthwb

www.fcstpauli.com

The golden age of surveillance

George Orwell was an optimist

Wholesale blanket surveillance

The NSA Data Center in Utah

$1.7 billion construction costs

$2 billion for hardware and software

65 megawatts ($ 40 million a year)

6.500 tons of water a day

140.000 square meter of space

3-12 exabytes storage capacity

The war on terrorism

27.11.2013: NSA spied during the 2010 G8 and G20 summit in Toronto, closely co-ordinated with Canadian partner CSEC

25.10.2013: NSA monitored calls of 35 world leaders after US officials handed over contacts

20.09.2013: GCHQ hacks Belgian Provider Belgacom who servs the EU Parliament, the EU Commission and the EU Council

01.07.2013: NSA hides bugging devices in the embassies of France, Italy and Greece in the USA to surveil diplomats

The worldwide surveillance is a billion dollar business for US-corporations

„Our customers and stakeholders can rely on us to provide timely, high quality products and services…“

„…because we never stop innovating and improving, and we never give up!“

Security versus Privacy

Obama said on the 7. June 2013:

„I think it's important to recognize that you can't have 100 percent security, and also then have 100 percent privacy and zero inconvenience. We're going to have to make some choices as a society.”

Reactions on the NSA-scandal

I thought as much! That‘s no surpise what they do!

I don‘t mind. I have nothing to hide.

Facebook is surveilled? – Your fault, when you use it!

I know – but we can‘t do anything about it!

What was the role of EU secret services during the NSA-scandal? – 4 versions:

1. They supported it!

2. They knew about it, but didn‘t support it!

3. They knew about it, but didn‘t inform the government!

4. They didn‘t know about it!

Learnings:

1. The NSA & co. stepped all over the constitution

Todo: Unfortunately, AFTER reforms, we need a consolidation of EU counter-intelligence services

2. The technical paranoia of nerds around surveillance is reality: Surveillance by default!

Todo: Build European alternatives!

3. Every mobile phone is until further notice a bugging device. Every email and online chat is until further notice a public conversation

Todo: We need continuous encryption of all relevant communication on the side of hardware, software and provider. Encryption has to be the standard

Take action

Build large and suistainable businesses around privacy and data security…

…and kick some Silicon Valley asses!

Thank you!