For the first time in history, people have a way of securing their communications quickly, automatically, and at will from any threat, be it hackers or government snoops. Good for us — but for the FBI and the police, it’s a calamity. Where once they could pry open locked drawers to find incriminating letters, or force a company to reveal private records, now everything depends on the willingness of the owner to allow that information to be decrypted. Since they can’t go through the front door, so to speak, they have asked repeatedly for a back door. But what exactly is a backdoor, and why should you care? The concept … Continue reading Devin Coldewey