The encryption backdoor debate: Why are we still here?

Earlier this month, reports emerged that the UK government had pressured Apple, under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, to create a backdoor into encrypted iCloud data. Unlike targeted access requests tied to specific cases, this demand sought a blanket ability to access users’ end-to-end encrypted files. Apple was forced to reconsider its Advanced Data Protection service in the UK, and this latest development raises a fundamental question: Why does the debate over encryption backdoors persist despite decades of technological progress and repeated warnings from cybersecurity experts? The flawed logic of encryption backdoors The UK government’s latest demand may be unique… [Continue Reading]