Crypto policy perspectives

In April 1993, the White House announced the Escrowed Encryption Initiative, a voluntary program to improve security and privacy of telephone communications while meeting the legitimate needs of law enforcement. The initiative included a chip for encryption, to be incorporated into telecommunications equipment, and a scheme under which secret encryption keys are escrowed with the government. Despite substantial negative comment, in February 1994, the National Institute of Standards and Technology approved the Escrowed Encryption Standard (EES) as a voluntary federal standard for encryption of voice, fax, and computer information transmitted over circuit-switched telephone systems. Private citizens may want to protect their communications from electronic eavesdroppers, but law enforcement seeks continued access to criminals' communications (under legal authorization). The issues of conflicting public needs underlying the debate on EES are examined.