Rudd’s call to give security services ‘back door’ in message apps blasted

Home secretary Amber Rudd’s call for technology companies to open up encrypted services to intelligence agencies has been labelled “misguided” by industry experts.

Encrypted messaging services including WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are under pressure from the Government to allow intelligence services to monitor potential terrorists following reports that Westminster attacker Khalid Masood may have used WhatsApp moments before his attack.

Ms Rudd has called on messaging apps that use encryption to install so-called “back doors” in their systems so that, with a warrant, police and the intelligence services could monitor the otherwise secure communications of those linked to terrorism.

However, the plans have been criticised over their potential threat to mobile device security in general, with the tech industry calling the use of encryption a vital tool in ensuring cyber security of consumers, with the technology used to hide personal data, including financial information, from hackers and cyber criminals.

Sam Dumitriu, from think tank the Adam Smith Institute, said: “It is mathematically impossible to build a back door for just the good guys.

“It means building a back door to your private messages for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s favourite hacker Guccifer. It means opening up your private photos to perverts like the iCloud hacker. End-to-end encryption keeps us safe.”

Antony Walker, deputy chief executive of UK industry body techUK, said the Government already had enough powers at its disposal.

“Following the implementation of the Investigatory Powers Act, the UK has a range of strong powers relating to interception warrants, equipment interference warrants, and bulk communication data acquisition warrants that enable the security services to do their job,” he said.

End-to-end encryption keeps us safe. SAM DUMITRIU, OF THE ADAM SMITH INSTITUTE