A top DOJ official is calling for ‘responsible’ encryption from Silicon Valley

The Justice Department’s Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is calling on Silicon Valley to provide a avenue for law enforcement to access encrypted digital evidence that is stored and transferred by private technology companies. Rosenstein described this avenue as “responsible encryption.” He vaguely defined it as encryption that is able to “protect privacy and promote security without forfeiting access for legitimate law enforcement needs supported by judicial approval.” Privacy and security advocates say that making such a compromise would effectively weaken encryption technology writ large because it would require creating an inherent vulnerability in the process. Rosenstein, like his predecessors, believes this arrangement wouldn’t have a negative consequence on cybersecurity significant enough to warrant a different strategy. “When encryption is designed with no means of lawful access, it allows terrorists, drug dealers, child molesters, fraudsters, and other criminals to hide incriminating evidence,” Rosenstein said. “Mass-market products and services incorporating warrant-proof encryption […]

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Rudy Giuliani has had virtually no input on U.S. cybersecurity policy

Eight months ago, Rudy Giuliani was named a top adviser to President Donald Trump on cybersecurity matters. Yet, former and current U.S. officials say since that declaration, Giuliani has contributed little to the administration and the advisory role has yet to bear anything worthwhile. Giuliani’s so-called “cyber working group,” a vague advisory committee officially announced by Trump’s presidential transition team in early January, is rarely in contact with White House staff. It is absent and disconnected from significant decisions, said a U.S. official with knowledge of White House affairs who spoke to CyberScoop on condition of anonymity. The source, like others in this story, declined to speak on the record citing the potential for blowback from Giuliani’s allies in government. “From what I saw, it didn’t exist,” said one former senior U.S. official. On May 11, White House homeland security adviser Thomas Bossert announced the rollout of a new executive order on […]

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