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If the cops and Feds can't read people's encrypted messages, you will install backdoors for us, regardless of the security hit, US Attorney General William Barr has told the technology world.
While speaking today in New York, Barr demanded eavesdropping mechanisms be added to consumer-level software and devices, mechanisms that can be used by investigators to forcibly decrypt and pry into strongly end-to-end encrypted chats, emails, files, and calls. No ifs, no buts.
And while this will likely weaken secure data storage and communications – by introducing backdoors that hackers and spies, as well as the cops and FBI, can potentially leverage to snoop on folks – it will be a price worth paying. And, after all, what do you really need that encryption for? Your email and selfies?
"We are not talking about protecting the nation's nuclear launch codes," Barr told the International Conference on Cyber Security at Fordham University. "Nor are we necessarily talking about the customized encryption used by large business enterprises to protect their operations. We are talking about consumer products and services such as messaging, smart phones, email, and voice and data applications. There have been enough dogmatic pronouncements that lawful access simply cannot be done. It can be, and it must be."
Related: DOJ: Strong Encryption That We Don't Have Access to is "Unreasonable"
FBI Director Calls Encryption a "Major Public Safety Issue"
FBI Director: Without Compromise on Encryption, Legislation May be the 'Remedy'
Five Eyes Governments Get Even Tougher on Encryption
Australia Set to Pass Controversial Encryption Law
FBI: End-to-End Encryption Problem "Infects" Law Enforcement and Intelligence Community
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday July 25 2019, @11:20PM (4 children)
That is not entirely true.
Where I live at least the government is not for sale in quite the way it is in America.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 25 2019, @11:47PM (3 children)
Where, pray tell, do you live that is so special?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 26 2019, @01:30AM
The Shire.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Friday July 26 2019, @01:47AM (1 child)
Where I live is not that special, it is just that most Western democracies don't have the level of corruption that the US has.
We also tend to have more political parties, so they help to keep each other in check.
You guys should try it, it's not perfect but it's better than what you have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 26 2019, @03:24AM
They enjoy being miserable and abhor revolution. They're redcoats.