zlacker

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1. philwe+(OP)[view] [source] 2023-07-27 15:08:15
I agree that you could design the system this way. But do you actually expect governments to do that?
replies(1): >>Anthon+CG
2. Anthon+CG[view] [source] 2023-07-27 17:44:52
>>philwe+(OP)
Also worth noting that if the system is designed in this way then anyone can set up a "pretend I'm 21" service which will sign anybody's token using a random adult's ID because it can't be traced back to them.

Conversely, that system is not secure if the site conspires with the government, because the government could record the signature (or the token) and then compare it to the one the site has to violate the anonymity of a legitimate user. There are forms of encryption that prevent this (the user does a cryptographic operation on their own device that munges the data so the site can still verify the signature but can't tell which one it was), but now you need the government to implement that system -- and update it if any vulnerability is found -- and do a coordinated update of all the sites in the world with the new protocol that patches whatever vulnerability is found -- and do this rapidly and competently because in the meantime the system would have to be taken offline to avoid it being actively exploited.

Do Not Attempt. Failure inevitable.

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