---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Erik Date: Sun, Mar 25, 2018 at 1:38 PM Subject: [Cryptography] Justice Dept. Revives Push to Mandate a Way to Unlock Phones To: cryptography@metzdowd.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/24/us/politics/unlock-phones-encryption.html WASHINGTON — Federal law enforcement officials are renewing a push for a legal mandate that tech companies build tools into smartphones and other devices that would allow access to encrypted data in criminal investigations. F.B.I. and Justice Department officials have been quietly meeting with security researchers who have been working on approaches to provide such “extraordinary access” to encrypted devices, according to people familiar with the talks. Based on that research, Justice Department officials are convinced that mechanisms allowing access to the data can be engineered without intolerably weakening the devices’ security against hacking. ... Craig Federighi, the senior vice president of software engineering at Apple, stressed the importance of strengthening — not weakening — security protections for products like the iPhone, saying threats to data security were increasing every day and arguing that it was a question of “security versus security” rather than security versus privacy. “Proposals that involve giving the keys to customers’ device data to anyone but the customer inject new and dangerous weaknesses into product security,” he said in a statement. “Weakening security makes no sense when you consider that customers rely on our products to keep their personal information safe, run their businesses or even manage vital infrastructure like power grids and transportation systems.” What are some possible technological responses that can be utilized to protect against this sort of legislation? I'm curious what people here would do if some legislation of this sort were written into law. _______________________________________________ The cryptography mailing list cryptography@metzdowd.com http://www.metzdowd.com/mailman/listinfo/cryptography