This needs more defense. I find it hard to imagine a situation where such a minimal and deniable action with such a massive effect wouldn't be worthwhile.
Because the goal of any such agency is not "let's render a minority of computing devices insecure for a short period under certain circumstances." That entire argument hinges on the idea that taking this action would have achieved some kind of desirable goal, when it simply would not have.
In fact, the whole thing is a massive distraction. There are myriad easier ways to conduct individual surveillance if that was the goal, and I would be much more concerned about the fact that these same agents already apparently have legal carte blanche to intercept traffic in other ways.
I think that your defense hinges on this being the only thing that they are doing. As one of many things, with no risk and little expended effort, why not?
>There are myriad easier ways to conduct individual surveillance if that was the goal
What's easier than getting a call from somebody placed at a tech company indicating that one of the most security critical pieces of code didn't have test coverage and wasn't statically analyzed before going into the build has a spot where an errant line could be inserted, in a way that could be argued later was accidental.
The total marginal cost to that hypothetical situation would have been to say 'ok.'
>these same agents already apparently have legal carte blanche to intercept traffic in other ways.
Because the goal of any such agency is not "let's render a minority of computing devices insecure for a short period under certain circumstances." That entire argument hinges on the idea that taking this action would have achieved some kind of desirable goal, when it simply would not have.
In fact, the whole thing is a massive distraction. There are myriad easier ways to conduct individual surveillance if that was the goal, and I would be much more concerned about the fact that these same agents already apparently have legal carte blanche to intercept traffic in other ways.