The NSA has proposed a solution which it hopes will strike a balance between its desire to know everything about everyone and the average law-abiding citizen’s right to privacy.
According to The Washington Post the solution lies in a multi-part encryption key, created by various tech companies, which could unlock any device. NSA director Michael S. Rogers said at Princeton University that the key could be broken into several parts, meaning no one agency or company would be able to use it without the co-operation of the others.
He said: “I don’t want a back door. I want a front door. And I want the front door to have multiple locks. Big locks.”
Tm Erlin, director of product management at Tripwire, said: “The NSA is asking for a key after they’ve already picked the previous lock. While there’s dogma on both sides of this issue, most consumers want a resolution that allows for privacy and supports effective law enforcement. A master encryption key, however, creates an ultimate target for attackers.
Any resolution to this issue has to come with a restoration of trust in the law enforcement agencies, from the NSA and FBI down to local police. It’s vitally important that those in charge in Washington understand there’s a connection between consumer sentiment toward uniformed cops and willingness to discuss law enforcement access to data.”
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