Washington — Representatives Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Ted Poe, R-Tex., and Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., are introducing an updated version of bipartisan legislation to bolster cybersecurity today. The Secure Data Act of 2018 would prohibit the government from mandating companies build backdoors into encrypted products or services. The updated bill now also offers a provision that would prevent courts from issuing orders to compel companies to build backdoors or design security workarounds into devices and services at the request of a government agency for the purposes of surveillance or search.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association has advocated for strong encryption and against backdoors and other mandated vulnerabilities for decades, providing letters, comments, and briefs to the President, Congress, and the courts. The following can be attributed to CCIA’s President & CEO Ed Black:
“Trust in the integrity and security of the internet, including its infrastructure and users, is essential to its vitality as a global platform for free expression and commerce. A fundamental aspect of that security is the encryption that protects sensitive information, communications, and transactions at rest and in transit. The Secure Data Act will help ensure that in a time of heightened threats to national and digital security, users and businesses are able to rely on strong encryption without the risk of imposed vulnerabilities.”
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