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back to article At last – Feds crack down on crummy encryption … starting with your dentist

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has struck a $250,000 settlement package in its case accusing a medical software developer of lying about its data encryption capabilities. The makers of Dentrix G5, an office and records tool for dentists, had been accused of lying to customers about the encryption capabilities of the …

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  1. agatum

    El Regs stock of rather disturbing images seems to be unlimited.

    12 0 Reply
    1. cd
      Reply Icon

      I would have said pointless, but both are apposite.

      6 0 Reply
  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't get it

    Why would anyone roll their own crap encryption algorithm when there are perfectly good ones available off the shelf in standard software libraries? I can understand someone screwing up the implementation, but not going to the trouble of devising some bespoke weak obfuscation method themselves.

    7 0 Reply
    1. Mark 85
      Reply Icon

      Re: I don't get it

      Simples.. the profit motive. I'd hazard a guess that whatever they did was cheaper for them than hiring someone who actually understands encryption and how to implement it.

      6 0 Reply
    2. FelixReg
      Reply Icon

      Re: I don't get it

      They were probably just saving the customer post-it-note costs.

      1 0 Reply
    3. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I don't get it

      NIH syndrome is a terrible affliction.

      7 0 Reply
      1. Mike Lewis
        Reply Icon

        Re: I don't get it

        I'll say it is. I once rewrote 2,650 lines of C as a seven line shell script. The previous team had written a data transfer program with its own implementation of ftp. I just used the one that was already on the computer.

        1 0 Reply
  3. fidodogbreath
    FAIL

    Clearly, FTC did not ask FBI about this

    Why would FTC encourage dentists to use strong encryption?!?

    If dentists are allowed to use strong encryption, then terrorist dentists will "go dark." The three-letter agencies will no longer be able to keep us safe.

    WE COULD ALL BE KILLED BY TERRORIST DENTISTS!!!!!

    20 0 Reply
    1. Robert Moore
      Reply Icon

      Re: Clearly, FTC did not ask FBI about this

      > WE COULD ALL BE KILLED BY TERRORIST DENTISTS!!!!!

      You are clearly just a rabid anti-dentite!

      Oh, it starts with a few jokes and some slurs. "Hey, denty!" Next thing you know you're saying they should have their own schools.

      11 0 Reply
    2. David 132 Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      Re: Clearly, FTC did not ask FBI about this

      WE COULD ALL BE KILLED BY TERRORIST DENTISTS!!!!!

      Send for Lemming of the BDA!

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAe6UEUmaJk

      4 0 Reply
    3. Captain DaFt
      Reply Icon

      Re: Clearly, FTC did not ask FBI about this

      After past experiences with three different dentists, I'd say "terrorist dentists" is a redundancy. :/

      0 1 Reply
  4. Gray
    Boffin

    Nanny State

    Just another example of government over-reach, interfering with the free-market principle of Caveat Emptor. President Trump will re-align the rogue FTC next year, thankfully, by merging its mission with the CIA to intercept encrypted Quoran imports.

    10 4 Reply
    1. xybyrgy
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Re: Nanny State

      Sarcasm, downvoters?

      4 0 Reply
    2. a_yank_lurker
      Reply Icon

      Re: Nanny State

      The issue is false advertising not caveat emptor. Caveat emptor means one should do reasonable due diligence. But with some products it is impossible for the average person to have the skills and equipment to properly test the advertising claims. As an IT worker, I have a working idea about encryption but do not have the skills to full assess advertising claims on encryption. The typical dentist or doctor knows less about encryption than I do; a case of the almost completely blind leading the totally blind.

      10 0 Reply
  5. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Coming soon...

    Don't miss it: FTC vs. FBI cage fight!

    (On second thought, mud wrestling, more like...)

    0 0 Reply

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