#HITB2016AMS CommSec Track D1 - Unformation In The Era Of Hyperconnectivity

## Overview Isaac discusses how emerging technologies and hyperconnectivity are fundamentally transforming information security, data protection, and society. The speaker argues that connectivity is a critical factor reshaping how information is collected, analyzed, and used, with implications extending beyond data to broader societal structures.

## Regulatory Framework The talk examines multiple regulatory approaches to information protection. Safe Harbor regulations are being replaced by Data Shield, though neither effectively limits data collection and retention. The GDPR includes data breach notification obligations and encryption requirements, but enforcement depends on organizations understanding their own compliance status. A proposed intelligence services law reveals the true priority: internet tapping budgets are increasing from 15 million euros (2017) to 35.5 million euros (2019), suggesting a three to four-fold increase in interception capacity. The Passenger Name Record regulation for US-Europe air traffic has vague definitions and lacks obligation for Member States to share databases. The speaker notes that even regulations have limits—citing the iPhone case where the US requested encryption breaking from an Israeli company when legal channels proved insufficient.

## Information Paradox A central theme is the counterintuitive danger of data overload. The speaker references an NSA analyst's observation: collecting massive volumes of data and analyzing it generates so much information that it paradoxically produces no information at all. This creates a dangerous situation where organizations act as if they know everything when they may know nothing or know wrong things. Big data analytics transforms non-personalized information into personalized information, creating new privacy intrusions at exponential growth rates. Information becomes increasingly difficult to manage, and hyperconnectivity ensures data persists across systems indefinitely.

## Societal Implications The speaker draws parallels between surveillance societies and secretive societies, noting that totalitarian regimes in the 20th century (Nazis, Stasi) used archives as control instruments—but only with limited small-data analysis. Modern technologies amplify this threat through big data analysis, social media exposure, and Internet of Things connectivity. The question remains unanswered: what will these technologies do to society?

## Proposed Solutions Blockchain technology is suggested as an identity infrastructure solution. The speaker explains that blockchain's chaining mechanism prevents forgery because information cannot be isolated from preceding blocks without detection. Unlike traditional identity documents that can be forged independently, blockchain creates an unbreakable chain where modifying one element requires validating the entire preceding chain. This could strengthen identity management for governments, internet services, and prevent false identity usage that currently goes unnoticed in systems like passenger name records.

## Takeaways Key challenges include ensuring democratic governance understands technology implications, maintaining balance of powers in information access, and enabling policymakers to comprehend technical details. Data protection must keep pace with cyber intelligence and the cyber arms race. Emerging technologies should be leveraged for defense as well as attack. A stronger identity infrastructure would allow intelligence services to focus on actual risks rather than collecting data indiscriminately, while enabling faster disposal of irrelevant information.