Senators push amendment to bar encryption ‘backdoors’

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) want to amend the Senate’s surveillance reform bill so it would forbid the government from compelling companies to install access points into their encryption.  

As the Senate moves toward a final vote Tuesday on its reform bill, the USA Freedom Act, Paul and Wyden are pushing for their colleagues to vote on a slate of amendments they say would enhance the privacy provisions in the bill.

{mosads}One of the main additions they want to see is a provision barring the government from requiring so-called “backdoors” in encryption — an access point known only to law enforcement.

But it appears the upper chamber will only vote on amendments offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Privacy groups have alleged that McConnell’s amendments will simply water down the reform bill, which the Republican leader initially opposed.

Paul has been leading the charge against extending any of the National Security Agency’s spying powers authorized under the Patriot Act. He blocked any short-term extension of the law and has repeatedly delayed votes on the reform bill, which he believes doesn’t go far enough.

Wyden, also a vocal NSA critic, has joined Paul to press for votes on privacy-focused amendments to the USA Freedom Act.

A measure barring backdoors has been one of the most sought-after provisions among tech-savvy lawmakers and the privacy community in recent years.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is fighting with the Obama administration over the concept.

Government officials argue that investigators need some way to legitimately access encrypted data on devices and social media platforms. Technologists and numerous lawmakers counter that any form of guaranteed access makes encryption inherently vulnerable.

Wyden and others have several times introduced the Secure Data Act, a stand-alone bill that would prohibit the government from mandating backdoors.

But the measure hasn’t seen any movement, causing lawmakers to try and tack it on to other surveillance and cyber bills.