Weakening Encryption Works Against 'National Interest,' Says House Report

Action to weaken encryption will work "against the national interest," said a report released Tuesday by members of an encryption working group selected from the House Judiciary and Commerce committees. In one of four observations, the report said the national security community stressed the need for strong encryption in national defense and securing critical infrastructure. Industry said encryption is one of the "strongest cybersecurity tools available," and civil society groups emphasized its importance for privacy, speech and human rights, said the document. Congress shouldn't weaken encryption, but the report said it shouldn't ignore concerns from the law enforcement and intelligence communities and should explore other proposals and nurture cooperation between law enforcement and tech industry. The report also said encryption is widely available around the world and there's no one-size-fits-all solution to challenges presented to law enforcement. Working group members include House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and ranking member John Conyers, D-Mich., House Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., and ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J. Others are Reps. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y.; Suzan DelBene, D-Wash.; Darrell Issa, R-Calif.; Bill Johnson, R-Ohio; Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.; and Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.