Political Pressures Won't Affect Federal Probe of Hillary Emails — FBI Director

Pravin Kothari, CEO and founder of CipherCloud, said: "Policymakers are going after the wrong target".

The FBI says the government needs a way to access these encrypted communications - and companies need to help. But for other types of tools (chat or encryption of data at rest), cryptographers are unanimous-designing their tools in the way that Comey wants will have potentially disastrous effects on user security. He said the deadly attacks in Paris last month and California last week confirm radical Islamic terrorism continues to be a threat, whether that is politically correct or convenient for President Obama. While he hasn't said anything in this particular instance, Apple CEO Tim cook has repeatedly defended encryption by default.

Talks within the administration have taken on a new urgency in recent weeks, according to Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she is working on legislation to force the issue.

One huge problem: Apple, Facebook, , and the nation's leading computer scientists say there's no way to create a back door for government agents that wouldn't also be exploited by Chinese, Iranian and Russian hackers and other cyberthieves. "But when it's the business model of a particular company to disable its own ability to comply with a properly authorized subpoena or search warrant under our laws, that's a very different proposition".

Those encrypted messages were exchanged on what's called the "dark web" and have become a major roadblock for the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the agency works to track terrorists. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, posed an argument to Comey that has been used effectively by technology firms and civil society groups: If American companies are compelled to offer weaker security products, won't sophisticated criminals and smart consumers just use foreign ones, leaving USA firms and citizens disadvantaged?

FBI Director James Comey revealed that one of the two men who tried to attack a Garland Texas conference center in May communicated with an overseas terrorist 109 times that morning.

Comey called encryption a "big problem" that is thwarting investigators and pointed to the Garland, Texas shooting as an example.

Comey's focus on "business models" also misses the sizable portion of encryption applications that are open-source and/or based outside of the US.

FBI Director James Comey testified on Wednesday at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that encryption backdoors are not a legal or technical issue, but rather are a "business model question".

A US official said Tuesday authorities are looking into a deposit made to Farook's bank account before the shooting.

"If we were to weaken encryption, I think it would have pretty serious consequences for the global economy", Hagemann added.

USA officials, including Comey, argue that secure messaging places unsafe, lawbreaking individuals outside the reach of justice.

"There are plenty of companies today that provide secure services to their customers and still comply with court orders", he said.

 

 

• US House passed Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of 2015

• Ben Carson Threatens to Leave Republican Party Over Possible Convention Challenge

• 'BEEP Song' Lands Dhanush in Trouble