The Information Technology Subcommittee of the Committee on
Government Oversight and Reform of the US of House of
Representatives last Wednesday held a
hearing on encryption technology and potential US policy
responses. The subcommittee heard testimony from representatives of
the IT sector, members of the criminal justice and law enforcement
community, and a computer science professor. Discussion focused on
how law enforcement and the criminal justice system could deal with
encrypted communications.
Encryption is used to obfuscate data so that it is only readable
by those who possess the proper information to decode it. With
companies stepping up security efforts in response to market
demands in the post-Snowden era, some every day applications now
feature rather sophisticated encryption schemes. This conveys a
tremendous benefit to consumers looking to protect their data and
communications, but could also provide a safe haven to criminals
and terrorists.
