By Mugunthan K, ECONOMICTIMES.COM | 15 Apr, 2016, 12.03PM IST
Messaging service app WhatsApp rolled out a security feature a few days ago that has left government agencies upset but security experts and privacy activists cheering. Whatsapp started end-to-end encryption for its over one billion users, which means no one, not even the makers of the messaging app can access your messages.
End-to-end encryption will make reading the content impossible for anyone other than the sender and receiver. Some fear that terrorists may use the encryption for communicating and thus sparking off a encryption vs national security debate. For people who use the internet medium to communicate, transact, send and receive various type of digital content, it is very important to understand what this encryption means.
What is encryption?
Encryption ensures that the data sent is read only by the intended user. Even if someone manages to intercept the data, they wouldn't be able to decipher the meaning of the content. The end-to-end encryption uses two keys, public and private keys. When you send a message to someone it is encrypted by a public key and the receiver uses a private key to unlock it. This process is guided by mathematical algorithm.
Why do we need encryption?
Most of the data transfer in the internet like video, flash, pictures, banners and etc are done without encryption. Only a small part of internet traffic is related with communications, like email, messengers or private chats in social media services are encrypted. According to Firefox telemetry (measurement or collection of data) only ~40% of websites and ~65% of transactions used HTTPS, the secure internet transfer protocol, at the end of 2015.
Safe shopping: When we carry out a transaction online, be it online shopping or paying bills or sending money, the websites should be encrypted or otherwise information sent over the internet can be seen by other people while it is in transit.
Whistleblower protection: The recent Panama Papers leak is a simple example on how encryption can help whistleblowers and activists to act without any fear of persecution. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) says that trove of more than 11 million leaked files exposes people who use offshore companies to facilitate bribery, arms deals, tax evasion, financial fraud and drug trafficking. The person who leaked the documents to the German publication Suddeutsche Zeitung used encrypted chatting apps and emails to send the documents.
Privacy: In the beginning of this month hackers released personal data of close to 50 million Turkish citizens containing their name, address, ID registration etc. While posting the data, the hackers highlighted the lack of encryption and cyber security features in the government's infrastructure. This comes at a time when our government is actively collecting information such as name, date of birth, fingerprints and iris scans for Aadhaar number. The leaks like above is a reminder for us to take encryption seriously.
According to a Kaspersky Security Network report on local infection statistics for user computers in 2015, India was in the high risk (41-60%) category with a result of 59.7% . The report reflect threats that have penetrated computer systems by infecting files or removable media.
"In India, they are always under attack from different hackers groups, mostly Chinese. Right now we are investigating one of these attacks," said Aleks Gostev, Chief Security Expert, Global Research and Analysis Team of Kaspersky. He said that the end-to-end encryption will prevent attacks such as those known as Man in the Middle, where a malicious actor intercepts the email between the user and a server. But somehow that level of protection is rarely provided.
Encryption vs national security
Recently Apple refused FBI's request to unlock the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter who killed 14 people. This sparked of a security . Since end-to-end encryption like that of WhatsApp will make surveillance very difficult, government agencies across the world have been insisting that they should be given a special access or backdoor entry. They argue that without such access national security would be undermined, but cyber security experts and privacy activists differ.
Denelle Dixon-Thayer, Mozilla's Chief Legal and Business Officer, says, "We're starting to see proposed government policies andregulations that threaten to weaken encryption. In democracies across the world, states are seeking the authority and means, often labeled "backdoors" or "golden keys", to unlock and decode citizens' encrypted data in the name of law enforcement. Even if backdoors are initially designed for trusted actors, it's possible that they will get exploited by the bad guys, at which point we all become less secure. This is why it's so important that we as a society understand and engage with encryption."
According to media reports, terrorists involved in the Belgium attack did not rely on encrypted services for communication, instead they used disposable phones. If this is true it shows that weakening encryption is not the solution.
"Frankly questions about possible terrorists using encryption are out of reality. Terrorists were there before and they didn't use any encryption. They use phones, cars, laptops -should we try to limit using of all this stuff for the average people? No, we shouldn't. Moreover, I'm almost sure that governments already have all what they need (from a technical point of view) for solving this problem," says Aleks Gostev.
