DirFBI: Danger of Encryption

[John Young <jya@pipeline.com>]

The New York Times, July 12, 1998:

Danger of Encryption

To the Editor:

Re "Privacy in the Digital Age" (editorial, July 6): No law 
enforcement agency is "trying hard to prevent the growing 
use of encryption." But encryption represents a serious 
public safety concern. We are open to any solution that 
recognizes that it is the ability to collect electronic 
evidence that has allowed us to prevent airliners from 
being bombed and to put major drug dealers behind bars.

Key escrow is one possible solution. There are others, and 
certainly a statutory scheme can be devised that will all 
but eliminate any risk of abuse by law enforcement. But if 
we do not allow for court-ordered access, for the first time 
in the history of this country a court order for seizure of 
evidence will be an absolute nullity.

We want to work with industry on a real solution, recognizing 
that those who acquire encryption over the Internet or from 
abroad naively make assumptions about the security it affords. 
We are not fighting encryption, but we know what will happen 
if technology cannot be made to work for law enforcement as 
it works for criminals and terrorists.    

Louis J. FREEH
Dir., Federal Bureau of Investigation
Washington, July 10,1998