Modernization

BlackBerry boss strikes conciliatory tone on encryption

Like his Apple counterpart, BlackBerry CEO John Chen is opposed to weakening encryption but says the debate between law enforcement and tech firms has gotten too acrimonious.

Digital Government

FBI Says It Uses ‘Zero-Day’ Exploits, Too

The Bureau uses the same security loopholes in software that unscrupulous hackers do.

Cybersecurity

Privacy groups discuss encryption with White House

Obama administration officials met with multiple civil liberties groups about a petition urging the president to support strong encryption.

Digital Government

FBI Chief Admits It’s Impossible to Ban All Encryption

The government can at least make it harder to hide from surveillance, James Comey says.

Cybersecurity

White House reacts to pro-encryption petition

As "going dark" becomes a hot button issue in Washington, privacy activists are urging the White House to hold to its stance on commercial encryption.

Cybersecurity

Comey: 'Going dark' is business, not technical, challenge

The FBI director sounded upbeat about the possibility of convincing tech firms to give law enforcement access to encrypted customer communications with a warrant.

Emerging Tech

In-Q-Tel Invests in Firm That Says It Can Retrieve Evidence from Encrypted Devices

In-Q-Tel, the IC’s technology investment arm, did not disclose how much funding it will provide the Canadian-based Magnet Forensics.

Digital Government

House Homeland Security Chairman Wants Commission to Study Encryption

Law­makers are scram­bling to find a way to en­sure the gov­ern­ment can spy on ter­ror­ist com­mu­nic­a­tions.

Digital Government

Obama Hints at Policy Shift on Encryption

It could have serious consequences for the way Americans use technology.

Modernization

McCaul wants new commission on encryption and law enforcement

Top law enforcement officials have decried unbreakable commercial encryption as a dark space for terrorists and criminals. In the wake of the San Bernardino and Paris attacks, one House leader wants to take a hard look at the technology.

Emerging Tech

Decrypting the Encryption Debate

The ability to encrypt and use cyphers to hide messages from unauthorized readers goes back at least as far as Roman times.

Digital Government

Is Congress All Bark and No Bite on Encryption?

Even critics of the tech industry aren’t quite sure how to guarantee government access to terrorist communications.

Cybersecurity

This ISIS-Endorsed Encryption Contractor Says It Will Now Screen Who's Buying Its Services

The goal is to stop terrorists from using stolen credit cards bought off the online black market, and entering bogus physical addresses to register for encryption services.

Digital Government

Why Restricting Encryption Would Not Have Prevented the Paris Attack

... despite what intelligence officials from multiple countries are saying.

Digital Government

Senators Investigate Role of Encryption in Paris Attacks

Lawmakers want to know whether encryption allowed the attackers to keep their communications covert.

Cybersecurity

Paris attacks revive 'going dark' concerns

The terrorist attacks in Paris have rekindled a debate in the United States about law enforcement access to end-to-end encryption on mobile devices.

Digital Government

Brennan: Paris Is a 'Wakeup Call' to Europe on Encryption

The ability to shield communications from anyone but the intended recipient via encryption and other digital means will now face unprecedented challenges.

Cybersecurity

Governance lags tech on info sharing, CIA's Brennan says

The CIA director warns that the rapid technological improvements in spycraft and information collection have outpaced the ability of worldwide intel agencies to cooperate.

Cybersecurity

What does Tor's allegation against the FBI mean for computer research?

The Web anonymity service's allegation that the FBI paid researchers to unmask Tor users has alarmed some cryptographers and raises questions about the collaborative relationship between law enforcement and security researchers.