Backdoors to the future? [Communications Cyber Security]

THE EDWARD SNOWDEN revelations were the first time many Internet users - home and business - became aware of the fact their public-network emails and other online activity logs could be made accessible to unauthorised scrutiny. However, recent suggestions that communications hardware is also 'open' to access by foreign agencies will come as a further eye-opener. Should we be so surprised? Arguably, these suggestions are rooted in the fact that for the last 15 years most of us have embraced the joys of the 'Internet revolution' with barely a thought for the possibility that some of the enabling hardware we use may also be 'leaky' - and, moreover, was manufactured as such.