France Rejects Backdoors in Encryption Products
For the right reasons, too:
Axelle Lemaire, the Euro nation’s digital affairs minister, shot down the amendment during the committee stage of the forthcoming omnibus digital bill, saying it would be counterproductive and would leave personal data unprotected.
“Recent events show how the fact of introducing faults deliberately at the request—sometimes even without knowing—the intelligence agencies has an effect that is harming the whole community,” she said according to Numerama.
“Even if the intention [to empower the police] is laudable, it also opens the door to the players who have less laudable intentions, not to mention the potential for economic damage to the credibility of companies planning these flaws. You are right to fuel the debate, but this is not the right solution according to the Government’s opinion.”
France joins the Netherlands on this issue.
And Apple’s Tim Cook is going after the Obama administration on the issue.
EDITED TO ADD (1/20): In related news, Congress will introduce a bill to establish a commission to study the issue. This is what kicking the can down the road looks like.
Chris W • January 20, 2016 5:35 AM
Anyone else gets the feeling this is all politics and smokescreen?
If they really wanted to make a statement, they would pass an amendment that criminalizes implementing backdoors.
(“Access mechanisms not explicitly approved and enabled by the user” or whatever legal jargon is required to ensure there’s an opt-in/out and informed consent clause).
Gonna be fun to see the reactions. It’s quite probably that Tim Cook & co would start protest, coz then they have to be a lot clearer about several of cloud features, remote reset, ad api, backups, data collection etc.
The implications could be huge.