Security News > 2023 > December > eIDAS: EU’s internet reforms will undermine a decade of advances in online security
Basically, everyone who believes in a free and safe internet is speaking out against eIDAS. The unintended consequences of the bill are so great that Mozilla recently shared an open letter co-signed by a raft of internet companies concerned that eIDAS will make the internet less secure.
Mozilla warned in a separate statement that any EU government could "Issue website certificates for interception and surveillance which can be used against every EU citizen, even those not resident in or connected to the issuing member state."
Since certificate authorities approved by one member state will be recognized across the entire EU, a mistake by one EU member state would affect internet users across the bloc.
Since 2011, tightened privacy and security laws have prevented this from happening - and campaigners had hoped that this practice was long dead. Yet eIDAS legislation threatens to roll back internet security by over a decade, erasing all the gains privacy advocates and citizens have fought for since 2011.
Under the proposed Article 45, through the assistance of a friendly state-backed certificate authority, EU member states would theoretically be able to insert new root certificates at will.
eIDAS threatens to undermine website independence and security and make the internet a less safe, less private place.