Phil Zimmermann, a programmer, computer scientist, and cryptographer of remarkable talent, forged the weapon of the cypherpunk movement – Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) software. This digital tool, utilising public-key encryption and the web of trust, emerged as a bulwark against the Five Eyes secret services’ relentless pursuit of deciphering all communications.
Having vanquished the Germans in the Second World War by cracking the Enigma code, these secret services have since endeavored to penetrate all messages, unfettered by privacy. PGP’s advent, however, presented an obstacle to their ambitions.
A spirited dispute ensued, with Zimmermann prevailing by publishing the source code as a book and invoking constitutional amendments to defend his creation. This landmark victory altered the landscape. Citizens gained the right to employ encryption for their privacy, while the secret services were granted latitude to circumvent it when possible.
Zimmermann’s perspective on the matter? ‘The natural trajectory of technology leans toward simplifying surveillance,’ and ‘the capacity of computers to track our movements doubles every eighteen months.’ A sobering reality, indeed.”ShortenElaborate