Running head: IMPACT OF CRYPTOGRAPHY ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROCESS 1

IMPACT OF CRYPTOGRAPHY ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROCESS

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IMPACT OF CRYPTOGRAPHY ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROCESS

Cryptography or otherwise known as cryptology, can simply be defined as the science mix of

electrical engineering and mathematics as well as computer science, in the practice and study of

hiding information and trying to keep the information a secret and safe. The impact of

cryptography has mainly been felt on the side of the federal government in their role of fighting

crime and has thus over the years attracted numerous debates on the same. According to Dam

and Lin (1996), cryptography makes available an opportunity for law-abiding citizens as well as

law offenders to defend themselves against information crimes such as theft of proprietary

information etc.

The authors also add that public safety is becoming a big issue especially when it comes

down to Identifying terrorists, Following the terrorists and Prosecution of criminals, since

technological changes, accompanying the onset of the information age seem to cripple their

functions and make Cryptography a common idea for criminal elements in the society. For over

2 decades now Apple and the FBI have been on a tough judicial war that has come to be known

as the “crypto- wars”, where by the FBI has been wanting Apple to limit their strong encryption

technology and provide a back door for them to use to access information mainly on criminal

suspects.

Identification of terrorists is proving even more tedious since the FBI are not able to spy on

people using gadgets that have been encrypted by the technology. “The corporation has been

making its devices even more complicated to crack since presenting to the market, the iPhone's

in 2007” ( Brian Barrette, 2016). Following the terrorists has become even tougher since

cryptography is becoming more advanced that even the developers cannot be able to hack into

the devices themselves. Froomkin & McLaughlin (2016) add that the recently ended suit
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between Apple and the FBI did not end encryption, instead even more companies adopted it,

hence making criminal prosecution even harder a task.

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References

Brian Barrette (2016). The Apple-FBI Battle Is Over, but the New Crypto Wars Have Just

Begun [Accesses online at] https://www.wired.com/2016/03/apple-fbi-battle-crypto-

wars-just-begun/ accessed on 19th Jan 2017.

Dan Froomkin, Jenna McLaughlin (2016). The Intercept. FBI vs. Apple Establishes a New

Phase of the Crypto Wars. [Accesses online at] https://theintercept.com/2016/02/26/fbi-

vs-apple-post-crypto-wars/ accessed on 19th Jan 2017.

Kenneth W. Dam, Herbert S. Lin, (1996). Committee to Study National Cryptography Policy -

National Research Council. Cryptography's role in securing the information society.

National Academies Press.