{"id":33070,"date":"2020-12-09T10:53:39","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T08:53:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/?p=33070"},"modified":"2025-08-28T12:00:21","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T09:00:21","slug":"end-to-end-encryption-under-threat-how-and-why-governments-seek-access-to-our-messages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/end-to-end-encryption-under-threat-how-and-why-governments-seek-access-to-our-messages\/","title":{"rendered":"End-to-end encryption under threat? How and why governments seek access to our messages"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In early November, in the wake of the Vienna terrorist attack, the media <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fm4.orf.at\/stories\/3008930\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">information surfaced<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about a possible ban on end-to-end encryption in the EU.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the draft resolution of the Council of the European Union, it says that law enforcement agencies <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/media-eu-to-consider-document-requiring-messaging-services-to-decrypt-messages\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201care increasingly dependent on access to electronic evidence to effectively combat terrorism\u201d<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and should be able to obtain lawful access to encrypted data in certain circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A month earlier, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement that end-to-end encryption, \u201cwhich precludes lawful access to message contents under any circumstances,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/news\/us-doj-end-to-end-encryption-poses-serious-public-safety-risks\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">creates risks to public safety.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The statement was signed by the ministries of several countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does such close scrutiny of end-to-end encryption imply it could be outlawed, and is a ban even possible?<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-keypoints article_keypoints\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Officials in many countries have for years spoken of the need for law enforcement to access information protected by end-to-end encryption. In 2020, the Five Eyes alliance made a similar statement.<\/li>\n<li>In the EU, this issue is also being considered. However, there is no talk yet of restricting end-to-end encryption or embedding backdoors.<\/li>\n<li>Authorities can pressure individual companies, but a universal ban on encryption is unlikely, according to experts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>What is end-to-end encryption?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">End-to-end encryption, or end-to-end encryption (E2EE), ensures the confidentiality of messages\u2014the contents are accessible only to the sender and recipient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encryption and decryption occur only on users&#8217; end devices\u2014messages are protected from third parties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This heightened privacy worries intelligence agencies, which <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fbi.gov\/about\/leadership-and-structure\/science-and-technology-branch\/lawful-access\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">say<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> end-to-end encryption fosters crime by creating an \u201coff-the-books\u201d environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;This hinders them in investigations, because without direct access to the device of the individual or their interlocutor, the contents of the messages cannot be obtained. Intelligence agencies are extremely nervous about this, as there exists a technology that cannot be broken,&#8221; said Sarkis Darbinyan, managing partner of the Digital Rights Center and cofounder of RosKomSvoboda.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><b>Security services push back against end-to-end encryption<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The popularity of end-to-end encryption rose to a new level after Edward Snowden revealed the NSA&#8217;s secret information about the total surveillance of residents in the United States and other countries, The New York Times reports.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since then, privacy has been raised more frequently, and messenger operators have begun deploying various privacy-protection technologies, including end-to-end encryption.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The security services have no intention of giving up without a fight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2018, Australia <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/12\/06\/world\/australia\/encryption-bill-nauru.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adopted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a law obliging tech companies to provide law enforcement and security agencies access to encrypted messages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The law is largely based on the British <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Investigatory_Powers_Act_2016\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Investigatory Powers Act<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which endows a number of security services with broad powers to monitor citizens, including the power to break into devices, under the pretext of combating terrorism.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few years after passage, the law was amended to restrict law enforcement access to data to cases involving serious crimes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Australia and the United Kingdom are members of the intelligence alliance <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Five_Eyes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Five Eyes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which also includes Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was these countries that, in October 2020, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/international-statement-end-end-encryption-and-public-safety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">published<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a statement on the risks of end-to-end encryption to public safety. India and Japan joined them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authors urged tech companies to give law enforcement access to content when proper authorization exists. They also proposed embedding \u201cpublic safety\u201d features in their systems from the outset\u2014in other words, creating backdoors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document stresses that encryption is a \u201cvital safeguard for fundamental rights and digital security.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHowever, there are cases where encryption makes the analysis of message content within access to electronic evidence extremely difficult or practically impossible, even though access to such data may be lawful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authors justify the need for access by \u201ccompetent authorities\u201d to electronic evidence with the fight against \u201cterrorism, organized crime, sexual violence against children, and cybercrime.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution calls on companies, researchers, and authorities to engage in dialogue to jointly resolve the issue\u2014developing ways to obtain access to encrypted data in line with the principles of \u201clawfulness, transparency, and necessity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Austria&#8217;s ORF, the first to publish the document, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fm4.orf.at\/stories\/3008930\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that such formulations lead to an obligation on operators of platforms like WhatsApp or Signal to decrypt user messages for the security services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document itself does not include such provisions, and WhatsApp and Signal are not mentioned at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also does not speak of creating backdoors. The concluding section states:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere should be no single mandated technical solution to ensure access to encrypted data.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cybersecurity researcher Lukasz Olejnik <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lukaszolejnik.com\/the-policy-of-security-despite-encryption\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the resolution more than anything shows that the EU does not know how to craft the balance described in the document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in his view, some fears stem from the very idea\u2014\u201csecurity, despite encryption.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It should be noted that the resolution\u2019s call for access to \u201celectronic evidence\u201d to prevent terrorism, child abuse, and cybercrime closely echoes the Five Eyes statement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In continuing the discussion, the Council of the EU cited the aforementioned statement and underscored the importance of close exchange and ongoing dialogue with strategic partners on this issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/document\/487126491\/Recommendations-for-a-way-forward-on-the-topic-of-encryption#from_embed\">Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption<\/a> by <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View ForkLog's profile on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/user\/456422024\/ForkLog#from_embed\">ForkLog<\/a> on Scribd<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"doc_46713\" class=\"scribd_iframe_embed\" title=\"Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption \" src=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/embeds\/487126491\/content?start_page=1&#038;view_mode=scroll&#038;access_key=key-wcDEvpvWZlhhPJcCVZI7\" scrolling=\"no\" data-auto-height=\"false\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.7080062794348508\" width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document also describes encryption as a necessary safeguard for rights and digital security.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHowever, there are cases where encryption makes the analysis of message content within access to electronic evidence extremely difficult or practically impossible, even though access to such data may be lawful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is followed by discussion that the EU cannot easily craft the balance described in the document, according to Lukasz Olejnik.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, many fear that the question of security vs. encryption is itself problematic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution\u2019s call for access to electronic evidence to prevent terrorism, child abuse, and cybercrime closely mirrors statements by Five Eyes members.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Council of the EU emphasised continued dialogue with strategic partners on this issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/document\/487126491\/Recommendations-for-a-way-forward-on-the-topic-of-encryption#from_embed\">Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption<\/a> by <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View ForkLog's profile on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/user\/456422024\/ForkLog#from_embed\">ForkLog<\/a> on Scribd<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"doc_46713\" class=\"scribd_iframe_embed\" title=\"Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption \" src=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/embeds\/487126491\/content?start_page=1&#038;view_mode=scroll&#038;access_key=key-wcDEvpvWZlhhPJcCVZI7\" scrolling=\"no\" data-auto-height=\"false\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.7080062794348508\" width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also notes that the document describes encryption as a &#8220;vital safeguard for fundamental rights and digital security.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHowever, there are cases where encryption makes the analysis of message content within access to electronic evidence extremely difficult or practically impossible, even though access to such data may be lawful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authors justify the need for access by citing \u201ccompetent authorities\u201d and the aim of combating terrorism, organized crime, sexual violence against children, and cybercrime.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution calls on companies, researchers, and authorities to engage in dialogue to jointly resolve the issue\u2014developing ways to obtain access to encrypted data in line with the principles of \u201clawfulness, transparency, and necessity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Austria&#8217;s ORF, the first to publish the document, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fm4.orf.at\/stories\/3008930\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that such formulations could lead to platform operators like WhatsApp or Signal decrypting user messages for the intelligence services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document itself does not include such provisions, and WhatsApp and Signal are not mentioned at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also does not speak of creating backdoors. The concluding section states:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;There should be no single mandated technical solution to ensure access to encrypted data.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cybersecurity researcher Lukasz Olejnik <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lukaszolejnik.com\/the-policy-of-security-despite-encryption\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the EU does not know how to craft the balance described in the document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But some fear that the idea of &#8220;security, despite encryption&#8221; itself is problematic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution notes that the need for access to &#8220;electronic evidence&#8221; to prevent terrorism, child abuse, and cybercrime resonates with Five Eyes statements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In continuing the discussion, the Council of the EU cited the aforementioned statement and stressed the importance of close exchange and ongoing dialogue with strategic partners on this issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/document\/487126491\/Recommendations-for-a-way-forward-on-the-topic-of-encryption#from_embed\">Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption<\/a> by <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View ForkLog's profile on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/user\/456422024\/ForkLog#from_embed\">ForkLog<\/a> on Scribd<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"doc_46713\" class=\"scribd_iframe_embed\" title=\"Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption \" src=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/embeds\/487126491\/content?start_page=1&#038;view_mode=scroll&#038;access_key=key-wcDEvpvWZlhhPJcCVZI7\" scrolling=\"no\" data-auto-height=\"false\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.7080062794348508\" width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document also calls encryption a \u201cvital safeguard for fundamental rights and digital security.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;However, there are cases where encryption makes the analysis of message content within access to electronic evidence extremely difficult or practically impossible, even though access to such data may be lawful.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authors justify access by citing actions against \u201cterrorism, organized crime, sexual violence against children, and cybercrime.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution calls for dialogue among companies, researchers and authorities to find solutions that provide access to encrypted data under the lawfulness, transparency and necessity framework.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Austria&#8217;s ORF, the first to publish the document, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fm4.orf.at\/stories\/3008930\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that such formulations could lead to platforms like WhatsApp or Signal decrypting user messages for security services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document itself does not include such provisions, and WhatsApp and Signal are not mentioned at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also does not speak of creating backdoors. The concluding section states:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;There should be no single mandated technical solution to ensure access to encrypted data.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cybersecurity researcher Lukasz Olejnik <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lukaszolejnik.com\/the-policy-of-security-despite-encryption\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the EU does not know how to craft the balance described in the document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in his view, some fears stem from the very idea\u2014\u201csecurity, despite encryption.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It should be noted that the resolution\u2019s call for access to \u201celectronic evidence\u201d to prevent terrorism, child abuse, and cybercrime closely echoes the Five Eyes statement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In continuing the discussion, the Council of the EU cited the aforementioned statement and underscored the importance of close exchange and ongoing dialogue with strategic partners on this issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/document\/487126491\/Recommendations-for-a-way-forward-on-the-topic-of-encryption#from_embed\">Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption<\/a> by <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View ForkLog's profile on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/user\/456422024\/ForkLog#from_embed\">ForkLog<\/a> on Scribd<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"doc_46713\" class=\"scribd_iframe_embed\" title=\"Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption \" src=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/embeds\/487126491\/content?start_page=1&#038;view_mode=scroll&#038;access_key=key-wcDEvpvWZlhhPJcCVZI7\" scrolling=\"no\" data-auto-height=\"false\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.7080062794348508\" width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document also describes encryption as a &#8220;vital safeguard for fundamental rights and digital security.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;However, there are cases where encryption makes the analysis of message content within access to electronic evidence extremely difficult or practically impossible, even though access to such data may be lawful.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authors justify access by citing actions against \u201cterrorism, organized crime, sexual violence against children, and cybercrime.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution calls for dialogue among companies, researchers and authorities to find solutions that provide access to encrypted data in line with the lawfulness, transparency, and necessity framework.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Austria&#8217;s ORF, the first to publish the document, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fm4.orf.at\/stories\/3008930\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that such formulations could lead to platform operators decrypting user messages for security services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document itself does not include such provisions, and WhatsApp and Signal are not mentioned at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also does not speak of creating backdoors. The concluding section states:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;There should be no single mandated technical solution to ensure access to encrypted data.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cybersecurity researcher Lukasz Olejnik <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lukaszolejnik.com\/the-policy-of-security-despite-encryption\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the EU does not know how to craft the balance described in the document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But some fear that the idea of \u201csecurity, despite encryption\u201d itself is problematic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution notes that the need for access to &#8220;electronic evidence&#8221; to prevent terrorism, child abuse, and cybercrime resonates with Five Eyes statements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In continuing the discussion, the Council of the EU cited the aforementioned statement and stressed the importance of close exchange and ongoing dialogue with strategic partners on this issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/document\/487126491\/Recommendations-for-a-way-forward-on-the-topic-of-encryption#from_embed\">Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption<\/a> by <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"View ForkLog's profile on Scribd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/user\/456422024\/ForkLog#from_embed\">ForkLog<\/a> on Scribd<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"doc_46713\" class=\"scribd_iframe_embed\" title=\"Recommendations for a way forward on the topic of encryption \" src=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/embeds\/487126491\/content?start_page=1&#038;view_mode=scroll&#038;access_key=key-wcDEvpvWZlhhPJcCVZI7\" scrolling=\"no\" data-auto-height=\"false\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.7080062794348508\" width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the document encryption is described as a \u201cvital safeguard for fundamental rights and digital security.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;However, there are cases where encryption makes the analysis of message content within access to electronic evidence extremely difficult or practically impossible, even though access to such data may be lawful.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authors justify access by citing actions against \u201cterrorism, organized crime, sexual violence against children, and cybercrime.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resolution calls for dialogue among companies, researchers and authorities to find solutions that provide access to encrypted data in line with the lawfulness, transparency, and necessity framework.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Austria&#8217;s ORF, the first to publish the document, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/fm4.orf.at\/stories\/3008930\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that such formulations could lead to platform operators decrypting user messages for security services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The document itself does not include such provisions, and WhatsApp and Signal are not mentioned at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also does not speak of creating backdoors. The concluding section states:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;There should be no single mandated technical solution to ensure access to encrypted data.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cybersecurity researcher Lukasz Olejnik <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lukaszolejnik.com\/the-policy-of-security-despite-encryption\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the EU does not know how to craft the balance described in the document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But many feel that the very framing\u2014&#8221;security, despite encryption&#8221;\u2014is itself problematic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The EU Council stresses ongoing dialogue with strategic partners on this issue and notes that the topic echoes the Five Eyes stance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Author: Alina Saganskaya.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Subscribe to ForkLog news via Telegram: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/forklogfeed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">ForkLog Feed<\/a> \u2014 the full feed of news, <a href=\"https:\/\/telegram.me\/forklog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">ForkLog<\/a> \u2014 the most important news and polls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In early November, in the wake of the Vienna attack, reports surfaced of a possible EU ban on end-to-end encryption. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"1","news_style_id":"1","cryptorium_level":"","_short_excerpt_text":"","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1144],"tags":[1142,1111,733,1256],"class_list":["post-33070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-longreads","tag-cryptography","tag-cybersecurity","tag-europe","tag-privacy-and-personal-data"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"22","promo_type":"1","layout_type":"1","short_excerpt":"","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33070"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33072,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33070\/revisions\/33072"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}