NSA wants technology companies to create a “Front Door” access using a digital key that allows access to your devices. This key is then broken to multiple pieces to prevent any one agency or person from getting in.

Intelligence Agencies all over the world loves the concept of easily accessing data stored on smartphones and other digital devices using back doors in software. However, even those who support this kind of snooping for information will agree it does create a security flaw, which any non-social elements and hackers can exploit.

Recently, National Security Agency (NSA) chief Michael Rogers hinted there is a happy medium, where NSA and other Intelligence Agencies can spy on you without compromising your security. At a recent speech at Princeton University, he wanted technology companies to create a “Front Door” access by using a digital key that allows access to your devices. This key is then broken to multiple pieces to prevent any one agency or person from getting in. This theoretically prevents thieves from grabbing your data, but still lets officials look around when they have permission.

I don’t want a back door, I want a front door. And I want the front door to have multiple locks. Big locks.

It is a known fact that Law enforcement and intelligence officials hate the widespread use of encryption, because it work very well. Encrypting your data not only protects your privacy and gives more security, but it also hinders criminal and national security investigations. Privacy advocates and advocates of default commercial encryption find solutions like this to create new problems as any door in software creates security holes, no matter how many pieces you split a key.

The suggestion from Michael Rogers is only one of the many suggestion that the White House is considering. President Obama should get a report on these options as soon as this month, so there may be a change in policy relatively soon.

Source: Washington Post