[NetBehaviour] Police decryption powers 'flawed'.

[marc]

Police decryption powers 'flawed'.

The government faces criticism over plans to give police powers to make 
suspects produce readable copies of encrypted computer evidence. The 
police say the powers are needed because criminals are increasingly 
using encryption to hide evidence.

They estimate that currently there are 30 cases in which encrypted 
evidence had stumped investigators. But some peers, academics and 
cryptographers say the plans are flawed and risk being abused.

The plans to let police demand decryption are part of the controversial 
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) that came into force in 
2000. Part III of RIPA gives law enforcement agencies the decryption 
powers and, provided some conditions are met, makes it a serious offence 
to refuse to turn scrambled files into an "intelligible" form. Those 
refusing could see their sentence increased as a result.

The government is holding a consultation exercise on the code of conduct 
that those using these powers will have to abide by. The code was 
debated at a public meeting organised by digital rights group the 
Foundation for Information Policy Research (FIPR).

At the meeting a government spokesman, Simon Watkin of the Home Office, 
defended the plans saying there were limits on when powers could be invoked.

more...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4794383.stm