back to article Tony Blair tells Russian infosec conference that cross-border infosec policies need more gov intervention

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has declared that governments can't "take 10 years to catch up” with cyber crims – while speaking at an infosec conference organised by Vladimir Putin’s favourite Russian bank. The former Labour leader told Sberbank’s Cyber Polygon webinar that the speed of tech advances over the past 20 …

  1. Persona Silver badge

    My normal response to Tony Blair

    Blair scoffed at people with concerns about the role of the state in everyday online life, saying: “When people worry about the data they shared with governments – most people share enormous amounts of data with technology companies!”

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4874748/MAC-Tony-Blair-speaking-again.html

    1. Spanners Silver badge
      Devil

      Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

      Does anyone have a positive reaction to him - or is it just that I don't know anyone in the Conservative party?

      1. Imhotep

        Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

        His mother had positive things to say about him.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

          Traditionally not during his birth, though.

        2. macjules

          Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

          And his missus. Though usually prefixed by “He’s made me a shedload of money”.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

        I suppose I'm fairly "blairite" in my political beliefs but I can't stand the fucker

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

        Well, he won three landslide elections in a row, so he must have been popular at the time. Weirdly, I can never find anyone who admitted voting Labour when he was the leader, but somebody must have done. After the Gulf War? Landslide win. Dodgy dossier, and clearly made-up 45 minutes to deploy weapons of mass destruction? Landslide win. The electorate approved of it all, and put them back into power.

        Don't like it much, but it happened. Just like other, more recent events...

        1. FlamingDeath Silver badge

          Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

          Are you suggesting that western democracy is a sham?

          While muppets are watching the left and right argue, most intelligent people are looking at what’s in between

          Just to add onto that, no fucking way is/was bliar labour, that mole was a through and through tory

          “The best way to beat the opposition is to lead it”

    2. genghis_uk

      Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

      Shame I only get one upvote!

      Bliar is such a Cockwomble.

      He still misses the point that giving data to technology companies may get you scammed or spammed but it won't get you falsely arrested, tracked and targetted like the government can do.

      The Bliar years were when RIPA was introduced (railroaded through on a terror/child porn ticket), ID cards were seriously considered and DNA databases were set up - later to be considered incompatible with human rights... Nice going Tony

      (sorry, bit off topic but he just winds me up!)

      1. circusmole

        I don't know what it is...

        .. its not political, but whenever I see him on TV, in the papers or on the web, I feel a rising tide of anger. Strange.

      2. dajames

        Missing the point?

        He still misses the point that giving data to technology companies may get you scammed or spammed but it won't get you falsely arrested, tracked and targetted like the government can do.

        Do you really think that governments -- and worse -- can't get their hands on the data that have been collected by the technology data-whores? Governments can just demand it with warrants, the others with money or menaces.

        Don't fall into the trap of thinking that the likes of that nice Mr. Zuckerberg have your best interests at heart, especially when lining their own pockets is a possibility.

        (Not wishing to defend Bliar in any way, of course!)

        1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

          The Missed Point ....... Noblesse Oblige?!

          Quite so, dajames.

          And is the point being missed that his concerns and fears are valid and not wrong?

          Do you really think that governments -- and worse -- can't get their hands on the data that have been collected by the technology data-whores? .... dajames

          Something better and no worse than governments with full access to that information would be Novel and Nobel, methinks.

          And, although self praise is no recommendation, that particular sort of metadata heavy program for a

          data science 'skunkworks' chief to engage and enable .... Remotely Self Actualise for Virtual ACTivation and Earthly Application ......for Human Operation, is highly recommendable, and readily available to All Anonymously, as in Anyone Anywhere, with the necessary wherewithall to further proceed in the most agreeable of forms and terms.

          And there be very few able to deliver all of that almightily successfully, methinks ....... although to discover it already done and Up and Running in the Shadows and Shade of Deep Web Backgrounds and Dark Undergrounds would be Mightily Encouraging and Extremely Exciting.

          It is always nice to play catchup, and be captivated and captured by progress beyond simple comprehension.

          1. Cliff Thorburn

            Re: The Missed Point ....... Noblesse Oblige?!

            Boiling once again to East vs West, which is best shenanigans, does blighty play world leader, or proverbial pawn piggy in the man in the middle attack in such predictive index great games play?, that truly is the question

            1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

              Re: The Missed Point ....... Noblesse Oblige?!

              Boiling once again to East vs West, which is best shenanigans, does blighty play world leader, or proverbial pawn piggy in the man in the middle attack in such predictive index great games play?, that truly is the question .... Cliff Thorburn

              With specific regard to the question ....."Does blighty play world leader, or proverbial pawn piggy in the man in the middle attack in such predictive index great games play?" ...... surely is all freely, widely available evidence currently proving the latter to be the case, rather the former, CT.

              And that is as a direct result of the distinct lack in this postmodern quantum communicative age of vital valiant intelligence and virile viral information in those services and instruments traditionally tasked or usually unusually expected to provide them to governments and businesses via the virtual back door and practically in secret. You know, those types of Divine Intervention Merchants on the likes of a Holy Crusade, to name but one of them responsible for the Present Right Unholy Mess and Conservative ClusterFCUK, although that would have governments having to admit to themselves that they actually followed remote third party advice to be effective and successful rather than be in command and control of anything vaguely essential themselves ...... and some find that an impossible pill to take and thus struggle forever and perish ingloriously against the flow.

              When admittedly true though, is it easily quite permanently fixed with such a lost supply line securely and stealthily restored through a vast array with any number of protective obfuscating proxy server agents in the play at both the forefront and in the darkened background and deep underground layers of the Great Game with ITs Greater IntelAIgent Games Players.

              1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

                Re: The Standard Abiding Problem

                And here are some words on one of those finding a difficult pill impossible for them to swallow and thus do they continually flounder in a huge see of their own imperious ignorance and arid arrogance ...... Zealots 'R' Us

                And don't you just love this glaring omission in the script .......... Leaving aside what Duncan Smith meant by the “natural order” ....... which one may safely assume and presume to be a quite delusional Almighty Blighty, methinks.

                It is just so damn difficult to get any decent staff these days, isn't it? Thank goodness for the fact that we all live in the comfort of hope springing eternal and therefore the very real likelihood of suitable answers always being readily eventually inevitably available from A.N.Others equipped to provide what is essentially missing.

              2. Cliff Thorburn

                Re: The Missed Point ....... Noblesse Oblige?!

                “is it easily quite permanently fixed with such a lost supply line securely and stealthily restored through a vast array with any number of protective obfuscating proxy server agents”

                Will wait for that rapid and rabid resolution to take place amFM, although after a dire decade of deliberation, one cannot help to feel nothing but frustration for past and present fumbling, and poor exponential learnings led at arms length direction.

                1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

                  Step One ..... Know the Enemy is No Friend and has No Friends Either ‽ .

                  Quite whether because of such a long and undistinguished history of Blighty blunderings in the fields of which one may be discussing here, CT, it is those who and that which may be batting for or as the UKGBNI, rather than it being A.N.Others rooting for an emergent or resurgent opposition and super efficient competition being exclusively advised of future developments which deliver an unassailable strategic and tactical advantage, is surely definitely something of a narrow enough window of opportunity for really interested parties to realise they have to grasp ....... or risk being left far behind yet again and reacting incessantly to their own failure.

                  After all, who on Earth would want to be burdened with a practising retard whenever exciting geniuses are freely readily available for future travel and companionship?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: My normal response to Tony Blair

      Mac cartoons: Gateway drug to more serious 'Heil abuse.

  2. Mike 137 Silver badge

    Alternatively ...

    As a cyber risk professional I think this is missing the point. Political co-operation and aligned legislation are probably not going to make much difference as they don't ensure performance..

    Considering that, on the basis of a couple of decades of evidence, most cyber breaches are push-overs, what we really need are internationally ratified consistent standards of secure design, implementation and operation that IT practitioners can conform to when engaged in critical infrastructure. At present there are no formal standards so there's consistent way to demonstrate the capacity to design, implement or operate IT securely.

  3. Chris Miller

    After leaving elected office, Blair set up a foundation bearing his name which aims to influence governments and political leaders around the world into following his brand of "third way" politics funnelling vast sums of money into a 'charity', which can then be used to fund the Blair family lifestyle without the inconvenience of paying very much tax.

    FTFY

  4. druck Silver badge

    Is this the same Tony Blair...

    ...who didn't even have an email address while PM?

    1. druck Silver badge

      Re: Is this the same Tony Blair...

      Sorry I was wrong, apparently after 6 years in office he did get an email address, but claimed he wouldn't read any emails, or reply to anything.

  5. Matthew Taylor

    Jesus, can we ever be rid of that guy?

    1. Imhotep

      Well, he is or was in Russia. Do you have to let him back in?

    2. Lunatic Looking For Asylum

      Tony Blair apparently "Didn't do God".

      1. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

        Hellish Opposition is No Ally to Friend and Foe alike.

        Tony Blair apparently "Didn't do God". ...... Lunatic Looking For Asylum

        Was that not more Alastair Campbell, LLFA, who had his own daemons to do battle with?

        1. Dr_N
          Devil

          Re: Hellish Opposition is No Ally to Friend and Foe alike.

          >who had his own daemons to do battle with?

          A golden monkey ?

  6. Imhotep

    Coincidence

    I was skeptical of the "teach them IT" boot camps that were supposed to be the solution to unemployment, but it may be there is something to it.

    It appears that Mr Blair had some retraining after losing his job and is now a cyber security expert.

    Something of a blow to my self esteem, as I used to say not just any idiot can do this sort of thing. Turns out they can, and make a good deal more at it than I ever did.

    Damn.

  7. IGotOut Silver badge

    Simple Qiestion Tony.

    How much did you earn for the "informative" speech this time? More or less money than someone off Love Island?

    It's just I personally give anything he says about the same amount of credibility.

    1. P. Lee
      Holmes

      Re: Simple Qiestion Tony.

      Socialist says the answer is more government.

      News at 10 o'clock.

      1. Insert sadsack pun here

        Re: Simple Qiestion Tony.

        It certainly would be news if Tony Blair was found to be a socialist. It was Blair who turbocharged the privatisation of the health service, for example

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Headmaster

    Very selective speech from Tony Blair....

    “When people worry about the data they shared with governments – most people share enormous amounts of data with technology companies!”

    Companies, for all their many faults, are more disciplined about data than governments are. First, no company is forever. If a company really abuses customers' data, then market forces intrude and customers start looking for another option that is less abusive. Second, Facebook or Google is not about to roll up in front of your home or business and throw you out on the street or in prison, because they have no police powers. However, governments can do that. Third, its a lot easier to conduct discovery in a lawsuit against a corporation, whereas versus a government they can throw sovereign immunity or national security restrictions on discovery at you.

    (And why is Tony Blair talking about cyber-security at all? Is he in any way an expert on the subject? This looks a lot like someone threw some money for a speaking fee at Tony to bring in more attendees, or to curry favor with him.)

  9. BenDwire Silver badge
    Facepalm

    'kin politicians

    Why was this guy never prosecuted? And why is he allowed to spout bollocks whenever he feels like it?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: 'kin politicians

      Same reason Johnson wont be.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Tony Blair? Watch this.

    About the most beautiful way of disclosing what Blair was up to was achieved by the Worricker trilogy, "Page Nine" and following.

    In itself already a work of art, it contains enough information to read between the lines.

  11. This post has been deleted by its author

  12. Claverhouse Silver badge
    Pirate

    Meals Included

    Like his fellow Neoliberal, Hillary, he has found the sovereign road to wealth by making speeches.

    Except that he did it after power, whilst she did it to prepare for power: reassuring her bankish sponsors of her future light regulatory touch. $250,000 a pop.

    .

    According to the memo, Clinton requires travel by private jet, and even specifies that she prefers a Gulfstream 450 or larger. Her staff requires first class and business class tickets. And two members of her staff require up to three days on site to prepare, with all local transportation and meals included.

    Wonder if his demands are as Rock Star...

  13. This post has been deleted by its author

  14. Norman123

    Has he eaten any yellow cakes lately?

    I bet he longs for the days when he could kill MI6 agents who exposed his fixing intelligence around what W. wanted him to do....It was the beginning of never ending wars and bonanza for "defence" contractors and progressive degeneration of programs for the truly needy in society. I wonder what was in it for him.

    1. FlamingDeath Silver badge

      Re: Has he eaten any yellow cakes lately?

      Well he gets to now go around being paid for talking

      I wish he would just fucking shut up and piss off, and he can take that awful cunt wife of his too

  15. Robert Grant

    “When people worry about the data they shared with governments – most people share enormous amounts of data with technology companies!”

    Maybe because technology companies don't have the power to lock them up.

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