The recent Paris attacks have led to increased debate about whether companies that have developed encrypted communication platforms should be required to provide government agencies with backdoors that would break the encryption. Although the U.S. Congress is on a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, lawmakers and lobbyists continued to put out statements for and against encryption.
Senator Ron Wyden wrote, “I am standing up against these dangerous proposals to ensure we act based on the facts, not fear, in the days ahead. Some are calling for the United States to weaken Americans? cybersecurity by undermining strong encryption with backdoors for the government. But security experts have shown again and again that weakening encryption will make it easier for foreign hackers, criminals and spies to break into Americans? bank accounts, health records and phones, without preventing terrorists from ‘going dark.'”
The International Association of Chiefs of Police and National District Attorneys Association countered, “The proliferation of sophisticated encryption technology and other technological barriers have increasingly hindered law enforcement?s ability to lawfully access criminal and terrorist related communications.”
