LibreCryptography

LibreCryptography

Europol Decryption Program One of the more concerning developments that we've seen in this international nation-state warfare vs. encryption. https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/europol-and-european-commission-inaugurate-new-decryption-platform…

Specifically, the article claims that Europol has managed to successfully erect a "decryption platform" that will "significantly increase Europol's capability to decrypt information lawfully obtained in criminal investigations."

The press release also goes on to state that the platform's existence is in "Full respect of fundamental rights and without limiting or weakening encryption", which rings a bit hollow when considering that the tool will be "availabe to national law enforcement authorities of all Member States to help keep societies and citizens safe and secure."

### Why This Screams Bullshit

The fact that there will be multiple different nation states (essentially all members of the European Union) that have access to this tool (whatever it is), makes the supposed benefits of this action entirely null.

To begin with there's:

1. A ton of different nation states that will have access to these tools and information. To suggest that they will all use these tools in a responsible manner that's considerate of their citizens' rights is preposterous

2. With such intel / resources being passed around freely to all of the member states of the European Union, one must wonder how in the world the EU can guarantee that there will be any level of real control for how this platform is administered.

To suggest that all member nations of the EU will unanimously act in an ethical manner in-line with the values of all of their respective citizens is a preposterous claim at best.

What Can Be Done

We can bitch about this endlessly or we can look at the reality of the situation.

The chances that they have found a way to break all of modern encryption is highly unlikely (and if this were the case, then its very unlikely that this secret would be kept very long).

However, with that being said, it is likely that the EU has amassed the resources necessary to subvert some of the more commonly used ciphers / algorithms that are in use today. The threshold for being able to do so would not require them to necessary "break" encryption schemes (which we know is exceedingly difficulty on a scale with an upper bound at infinity).

However, using exploits like Spectre / Meltdown, cache timing attacks, differential analysis etc., could afford member states of Europol with the tools necessary to compromise individuals through other means.

www.tg-me.com/tw/LibreCryptography/com.librecryptography/215

84 viewsDec 18, 2020 at 11:39

Specifically, the article claims that Europol has managed to successfully erect a "decryption platform" that will "significantly increase Europol's capability to decrypt information lawfully obtained in criminal investigations."

The press release also goes on to state that the platform's existence is in "Full respect of fundamental rights and without limiting or weakening encryption", which rings a bit hollow when considering that the tool will be "availabe to national law enforcement authorities of all Member States to help keep societies and citizens safe and secure."

### Why This Screams Bullshit

The fact that there will be multiple different nation states (essentially all members of the European Union) that have access to this tool (whatever it is), makes the supposed benefits of this action entirely null.

To begin with there's:

1. A ton of different nation states that will have access to these tools and information. To suggest that they will all use these tools in a responsible manner that's considerate of their citizens' rights is preposterous

2. With such intel / resources being passed around freely to all of the member states of the European Union, one must wonder how in the world the EU can guarantee that there will be any level of real control for how this platform is administered.

To suggest that all member nations of the EU will unanimously act in an ethical manner in-line with the values of all of their respective citizens is a preposterous claim at best.

What Can Be Done

We can bitch about this endlessly or we can look at the reality of the situation.

The chances that they have found a way to break all of modern encryption is highly unlikely (and if this were the case, then its very unlikely that this secret would be kept very long).

However, with that being said, it is likely that the EU has amassed the resources necessary to subvert some of the more commonly used ciphers / algorithms that are in use today. The threshold for being able to do so would not require them to necessary "break" encryption schemes (which we know is exceedingly difficulty on a scale with an upper bound at infinity).

However, using exploits like Spectre / Meltdown, cache timing attacks, differential analysis etc., could afford member states of Europol with the tools necessary to compromise individuals through other means.

BY LibreCryptography