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Wired Article Discusses Ray Ozzie’s Proposal to Solve the Encryption Debate

Wired Article Discusses Ray Ozzie’s Proposal to Solve the Encryption Debate

In June 2016, the House Homeland Security Committee released a report titled “Going Dark, Going Forward: A Primer on the Encryption Debate.” The report detailed the tensions and debate between two views on encryption: a privacy-focused view ensuring that no one can access a person’s data, and a law enforcement view that argues we need a mechanism, when needed, to unencrypt data so that we may protect citizens and keep our nation safe. It seems like an issue where compromise eludes us, with any “solution” resulting from litigation and legislation.

However, a recent Wired article details how Ray Ozzie (formerly Chief Technical Officer and Chief Software Architect at Microsoft) has resurrected the call for a solution to this debate by proposing an idea that pleases both sides. According to the article, Ozzie has “[outlined] a scheme that would give law enforcement access to encrypted data without significantly increasing security risks for the billions of people who use encrypted devices.” The essence of the idea centers on complementary public and private keys.

The article gives an excellent history of encryption issues, details Ozzie’s idea, and explains the feedback it’s received. Read the full article.