Encryption ‘back doors’ are a bad idea

Open the Editor’s Marking Free

Rulla Khalaf, the FT editor, chooses its preferred stories in this week’s news.

How much government should democratic governments have “slip” about online data and communications of citizens? The British Government has used new legal rights to demand that Apple create a “back door” that allows law enforcement to enter the encrypted into cloud-encrypted users. Apple Responded to Getting Out of Britain The most secure Cloud Storage Service – which uses the final encryption that Apple says, even that cannot access data.

Britain is not alone. The Swedish government wants encrypted messaging programs such as signal and WhatsApp Such a back doorA number of signals threatens to leave Sweden if it becomes a law. The cases make up the largest confrontation between the intelligible wish of Western governments Police crimes such as terrorism and children’s gender abuse online, and the standard gold encryption, which is now widely used to protect the confidentiality of messages in the cloud.

Both cases are responding to the March when the FBI tried to impose Apple In 2015, in California’s shooting in the iPhone used by a terrorist. Apple said that if it was created by the Iphone back door for FBI, malicious actors could find it and use it to use it. Ultimately hacker opened the phone For the FBI, completing its own.

British and Swedish demands are much wider. Using the work of his investigative powers. What critics have called “snoopers” charter? ” The UK Home Office has given notice Demanding apples Allow that British law enforcement is armed in court, then covering codes and other cloud data in anywhere in the world.

But the underlying dilemma is the same. When Millions send or keep online sensitive data, they say their finances or health, data protection is important. Final Encryption, where only the user and non-service provider keeps the key is the best warranty.

Most of cyber security experts argue with state bodies, without creating vulnerability, without hackers, including authoritarian states, could abuse. Such a thing has already happened. Chinese hackers exploited US Government in US telecommunications networks to access US telecommunications networks in US telecommunications networks The best politiciansA number

In the UK, the government called on 1939 civil society groups, companies and cyber security experts Rescue Its requirement to Apple, saying that “endangers the safety and privacy of millions of people.” According to similar arguments, the two-party members of the US Congress have asked the new National Intelligence Director Toulis Gabbardi, demanding that the United Kingdom. is withdrawing his order – and consider whether it does not limit the US-UK intelligence exchange, if it is not.

It is undoubtedly a thorny problem. No one wants terrorists and child abuses to avoid discovery. Some British security officials claim privacy protection can coexist With the “exclusive legal entrance” and insisted that technology companies can find a smart alternative. Tech experts contradict that no stupid compromise does not exist yet.

But almost all Big Tech companies are rightly cooperating with legal law enforcement agencies that do not imply “back doors” on the usual basis. At the end of Apple Reporting British transparency It shows that it corresponded to 93% of emergencies. If a solution is developed, which allows you to be safe, ending with final coding, cooperation must also be spread in this area. From now on, governments should treat such protection as a general good. Efforts to the police criminal minority should not undermine the security and confidentiality of the law-abiding majority.