Judge Confirms CMU Was Hired to Break Tor by Government

The government is in the news a lot when it comes to technology, especially with Apple going toe to toe with the FBI over gaining access to secure systems. With every country in the world trying to catch up with the constantly changing world of technology, sometimes governments sometimes can try to catch up by trying to break what’s been created. Such was the rumours regarding the FBI hiring Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to break Tor.

Tor is an open network that looks to fight against tracking analysis, just one way of monitoring and identifying people online. Using systems like Tor you are able to hide your identity online, a feature that some governments seem less than keen on letting happen due to the risks that people may use it for less than noble intentions. CMU previously responded saying, well not much at all to be honest, regarding the rumours it would now appear a judge has revealed it all; sorry FBI, looks like it wasn’t you.

It has now been revealed that it was in fact the Department of Defence (DOD) that funded the project. The information comes out as part of a court case against Brian Farrell, one of Silk Road 2.0’s administrators. Once again online privacy is being raised, with the argument that if you are looking to hide your activity you are attempting to create a sense of privacy, something which online tracking would then breach.

With technology and the law going head to head in the court on a daily basis, will the laws and governments of the world ever be in step with the ways that we work every day or will we always be hearing about the constant game of catch up that the law seems to follow currently?