While Apple stroke heavily with FBI during the encryptions row, India, on Friday said strong encryption technology to secure data and communications in smart phones, including those made by the US-based firm, is a challenge for law enforcement agencies. They also mentioned that they have developed a tool for mobile forensics that will help handle smart phones including Apple.
In reply to Rajya Sabha Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, smart phones including phones by Apple Inc. employ strong encryption to secure the data stored and to protect the communication. Such Encryptions technologies pose challenges to Law Enforcement Agencies throughout the world including India. He said that the government has not over looked or ignored but taken into account the media reports about the dispute between the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and Apple Inc. Apple was taken to court by FBI for breaking into the encryption-protected iPhone 5c.
Apple is against assisting the agency in unlocking the iphone, as it could have wide-reaching implications on digital security and privacy. Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also mentioned that the government regularly interacted with all stakeholders to address the issues and implement solutions taking into consideration security, service and developmental needs of the country. He also mentioned that on a continuous basis they are carrying out research and development activity to upgrade tools and technologies with the emerging new devices and software, including smart phones. Any proposal with the government to introduce backdoor or a key for smart phone encryption was denied by him. He said as part of this programme, a tool for Mobile forensics has been developed, which handles Smart phones including Apple phones.
