Electronic leviathan
Encyclopedia
The concept of Electronic Leviathan was developed on the basis of research into a product of electronic government, ICP-Brasil or, the Brazilian Public Key Infrastructure
(Infra-estrutura de Chaves Públicas Brasileira), conducted by Marcello Barra. Most of the data used came from interviews with those involved in ICP-Brasil’s development, including politicians from the Executive Branch
, technical experts in the bureaucracy, members of the banking and business communities, representatives from lawyers’ associations (the OAB – the Brazilian Bar Association
) and academia, as well as representatives of the information technology industry. ICP-Brasil files and regulations were also used, along with presidential speeches, and e-government
legislation. See also BARRA, 2009 in EDUSC.
How can you prove that you are yourself in the internet? How can the authenticity of a document sent via internet be proved? ICP-Brasil - the Brazilian Public Keys Infrastructure (ICP) was developed to answer these two questions, by providing a form of identification and authentication in the internet. ICP-Brasil was created by Brazilian State as a mechanism that allows for the so-called “digital signature”, with validity recognized by this State. Technically, ICP-Brasil is a set of legal norms based on specific technoscientific knowledge.
First, the developers of ICP-Brasil sought to guarantee the conditions needed to ensure the existence of the State itself, a concern which had eventually led to an increase in centralized power. Those developers' next priority was to diminish insecurity on the internet:
by enhancing security when using software connected to the net;
by combating what was perceived as a possibility of monopoly formation or anarchy in the digital certification market; and
by somehow controlling the use of the internet as a doorway to the sort of anarchy
that prevails in the world of international relations
.
This was a State that guaranteed security. At the same time, it tried to settle:
the dispute between financial institution
s and the Certisign
company (since the banking community was worried about the possibility of a market monopoly); the possible dispute among banks over the digital certification market; and the struggles among bureaucratic structures.
This was a State that ensured peace
.
Several elements in the ICP-Brasil case involve the State and tie in to the electronic Leviathan in various ways. These elements are:
a. the “reason of State”, including concerns regarding the State’s security and guarantees to ensure its continuing existence;
b. the control of society by the State;
c. the political decision-making structure, starting with the Head of State;
d. a domination strategy emanating from the bureaucracy
;
e. the power of the police;
f. the treatment of asymmetric cryptography
, a dual-use technology
controlled by States;
g. the consideration given to international practices as evidenced by the comparative examination of other States’ laws and uses of that technology
;
h. the issue of national security
, linked to foreign relations
and the geopolitical configuration of States, leading to an in-depth analysis of what and how was being done in other countries;
i. updating the way war is waged –“cyber war”;
j. containment of problems relating to sovereignty
and territory.
Public key infrastructure
Public Key Infrastructure is a set of hardware, software, people, policies, and procedures needed to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates. In cryptography, a PKI is an arrangement that binds public keys with respective user identities by means of a certificate...
(Infra-estrutura de Chaves Públicas Brasileira), conducted by Marcello Barra. Most of the data used came from interviews with those involved in ICP-Brasil’s development, including politicians from the Executive Branch
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, technical experts in the bureaucracy, members of the banking and business communities, representatives from lawyers’ associations (the OAB – the Brazilian Bar Association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
) and academia, as well as representatives of the information technology industry. ICP-Brasil files and regulations were also used, along with presidential speeches, and e-government
EGovernment
E-Government is digital interactions between a government and citizens , government and businesses/Commerce , government and employees , and also between government and governments /agencies...
legislation. See also BARRA, 2009 in EDUSC.
How can you prove that you are yourself in the internet? How can the authenticity of a document sent via internet be proved? ICP-Brasil - the Brazilian Public Keys Infrastructure (ICP) was developed to answer these two questions, by providing a form of identification and authentication in the internet. ICP-Brasil was created by Brazilian State as a mechanism that allows for the so-called “digital signature”, with validity recognized by this State. Technically, ICP-Brasil is a set of legal norms based on specific technoscientific knowledge.
The electronic Leviathan
It is a theoretical and interpretative construct to understand ICP-Brasil’s process.First, the developers of ICP-Brasil sought to guarantee the conditions needed to ensure the existence of the State itself, a concern which had eventually led to an increase in centralized power. Those developers' next priority was to diminish insecurity on the internet:
by enhancing security when using software connected to the net;
by combating what was perceived as a possibility of monopoly formation or anarchy in the digital certification market; and
by somehow controlling the use of the internet as a doorway to the sort of anarchy
Anarchy
Anarchy , has more than one colloquial definition. In the United States, the term "anarchy" typically is meant to refer to a society which lacks publicly recognized government or violently enforced political authority...
that prevails in the world of international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
.
This was a State that guaranteed security. At the same time, it tried to settle:
the dispute between financial institution
Financial institution
In financial economics, a financial institution is an institution that provides financial services for its clients or members. Probably the most important financial service provided by financial institutions is acting as financial intermediaries...
s and the Certisign
Certisign
Certisign Certificadora Digital S.A. is an Brazilian company based in São Paulo, SP that provides PKI-based solutions to financial institutions, governments, and enterprises that increasingly utilize unsecured IP networks to link business processes, exchange information, and conduct banking and...
company (since the banking community was worried about the possibility of a market monopoly); the possible dispute among banks over the digital certification market; and the struggles among bureaucratic structures.
This was a State that ensured peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
.
Several elements in the ICP-Brasil case involve the State and tie in to the electronic Leviathan in various ways. These elements are:
a. the “reason of State”, including concerns regarding the State’s security and guarantees to ensure its continuing existence;
b. the control of society by the State;
c. the political decision-making structure, starting with the Head of State;
d. a domination strategy emanating from the bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
;
e. the power of the police;
f. the treatment of asymmetric cryptography
Public-key cryptography
Public-key cryptography refers to a cryptographic system requiring two separate keys, one to lock or encrypt the plaintext, and one to unlock or decrypt the cyphertext. Neither key will do both functions. One of these keys is published or public and the other is kept private...
, a dual-use technology
Dual-use technology
Dual-use is a term often used in politics and diplomacy to refer to technology which can be used for both peaceful and military aims. It often refers to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, but that of bioweapons is a major issue as well. The scientific reviews Dual-use is a term often used in...
controlled by States;
g. the consideration given to international practices as evidenced by the comparative examination of other States’ laws and uses of that technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
;
h. the issue of national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
, linked to foreign relations
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
and the geopolitical configuration of States, leading to an in-depth analysis of what and how was being done in other countries;
i. updating the way war is waged –“cyber war”;
j. containment of problems relating to sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
and territory.