Frances Proposes Law Requiring Tech Companies to Provide Encrypted Data

Law demanding companies to provide encrypted data

New proposals in the French Parliament will mandate tech companies to give decrypted messages, email. If businesses don’t comply, heavy fines will be imposed.

France has proposed a law requiring end-to-end encryption messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal, and encrypted email services like Proton Mail to give law enforcement agencies access to decrypted data on demand. 

The move comes after France’s proposed “Narcotraffic” bill, asking tech companies to hand over encrypted chats of suspected criminals within 72 hours. 

The law has stirred debates in the tech community and civil society groups because it may lead to building of “backdoors” in encrypted devices that can be abused by threat actors and state-sponsored criminals.

Individuals failing to comply will face fines of €1.5m and companies may lose up to 2% of their annual world turnover in case they are not able to hand over encrypted communications to the government.

Criminals will exploit backdoors

Few experts believe it is not possible to bring backdoors into encrypted communications without weakening their security. 

According to Computer Weekly’s report, Matthias Pfau, CEO of Tuta Mail, a German encrypted mail provider, said, “A backdoor for the good guys only is a dangerous illusion. Weakening encryption for law enforcement inevitably creates vulnerabilities that can – and will – be exploited by cyber criminals and hostile foreign actors. This law would not just target criminals, it would destroy security for everyone.”

Researchers stress that the French proposals aren’t technically sound without “fundamentally weakening the security of messaging and email services.” Similar to the “Online Safety Act” in the UK, the proposed French law exposes a serious misunderstanding of the practical achievements with end-to-end encrypted systems. Experts believe “there are no safe backdoors into encrypted services.”

Use of spyware may be allowed

The law will allow using infamous spywares such as NSO Group’s Pegasus or Pragon that will enable officials to remotely surveil devices. “Tuta Mail has warned that if the proposals are passed, it would put France in conflict with European Union laws, and German IT security laws, including the IT Security Act and Germany’s Telecommunications Act (TKG) which require companies to secure their customer’s data,” reports Computer Weekly.