Security News > 2020 > June > After huffing and puffing for years, US senators unveil law to blow the encryption house down with police backdoors

A trio of Republican senators on Tuesday proposed legislation that requires service providers and device makers in America to help the Feds bypass encryption when presented with a court-issued warrant.

The law bill [PDF] is dubbed the Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act, which uncharacteristically cannot be condensed into a pandering acronym.

What's more, the bill calls for the creation of a competition, funded with no more than $50m in tax dollars, to pay out one or more prizes, awarded at the discretion of the US Attorney General, for anyone developing a system capable of undoing encryption and providing authorities with access to data.

"Criminals from child predators to terrorists are taking full advantage. This bill will ensure law enforcement can access encrypted material with a warrant based on probable cause and help put an end to the Wild West of crime on the Internet."

In an effort to show that such legislation is needed, the Senators cite a case where encryption was bypassed without legally-compelled industry help.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/06/24/us_encryption_backdoor/