Encrypted data 7-13-2015

13, July 2015              Encrypted data It is surprising that the FBI and its British counterpart, GCHQ, should be demanding greater access to encrypted data on the heels of one of the most egregious data breaches in US history when more than 21 million Social Security numbers were compromised. It is heartening to read that fourteen of the world’s pre-eminent cryptographers, computer scientists and security specialists have collectively opposed the FBI and GCHQ’s demand for access to encrypted communications. Such access would endanger all such confidential data, as well as the broader communications infrastructure. Surely, with repeated data breaches of sensitive data we should be demanding more encryption not less. Contrary, to FBI’s director, James Comey’s scare tactics notwithstanding, law enforcement personnel at the state and federal level were only hindered by encryption on four wiretaps all year.  We cannot and should not weaken encryption standards to provide easy access to the FBI and other Intelligence Agencies. To do so would also provide easy access to criminal and foreign governments and severely compromise our security and put us at much greater risk. Clearly what is needed is to enhance our security software to prevent hacking and not weaken encryption standards.