WhatsApp has end-to-end encryption to protect users' data. Horst Seehofer (CSU) wants a law to avoid this security measure.
- WhatsApp * wants to keep end-to-end encryption
- Horst Seehofer (CSU) wants end-to-end encryption to deal with a bill
- This would have an impact on user data
Not long ago, WhatsApp had stressed that end-to-end encryption was secure for user freedom. The federal government in Germany thinks differently about it. It is about a draft from the Interior Ministry by Horst Seehofer ( CSU ). The draft for a new constitutional protection law has actually been on hold for a year. The Ministry of the Interior deals with the de facto lifting of end-to-end encryption on WhatsApp. This would have an impact on user data .
Interior Minister Seehofer wants to force providers such as #WhatsApp, Threema and Telegram to cooperate, according to SPIEGEL information. They are supposed to give chat in legible form to authorities on a judicial order. https://t.co/KT0QM8ulsW
- DER SPIEGEL (@derspiegel) May 24, 2019WhatsApp: Law of Horst Seehofer (CSU) - State Trojans would spy on user data
In future, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution should be able to play a state trojan on the cell phone or PC of suspects in the case of "particularly serious threats". This would allow the Federal Office to read WhatsApp before encrypting messages and gain access to sensitive data . The result: end-to-end encryption would actually be avoided.
Horst Seehofer ( CSU ) also plans that the Federal Office can search suspects' cell phones or PCs using Trojans. "Challenges" through "international terrorism and legal terrorism" are the reasons for the draft law, Seehofer explained. "Der Spiegel" had reported about it.
WhatsApp: Police could request a hack from CSU due to law - data threatens
So far, only the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has been authorized to hack. In the future, the BND should be able to hack conversations on WhatsApp for other authorities, such as a police authority, because of Horst Seehofer's ( CSU ) bill. Possible sequence: A police authority shall request the BND on to hack a suspicious person. The BND is now hacking the suspect. He then gives the police a copy of the WhatsApp * data on his cell phone .
The consequences, among other things for the protection of data, would be far-reaching. The constitutional separation requirement between police and secret services would in fact be lifted. The BND would not owe anyone information about its procedure. Democratic control would also be avoided. "Network policy" had already reported on this. Seehofer (CSU) therefore risks violating the constitution.
By Moritz Serif
* hna.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
