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Cybersecurity

Encryption Explained: A Council on Foreign Relations Infographic

By experts and staff

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Experts

  • By Adam Segal
    Ira A. Lipman Chair in Emerging Technologies and National Security and Director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program

The debate over encryption has been in the headlines a lot over the past few weeks, fueled in part by the clash over the San Bernardino iPhone, whether the attackers in Paris and Belgium used encryption tools to communicate, and WhatsApp’s roll-out of end-to-end encryption across its platform of one billion users.

But what is encryption? What does it do and what’s the fuss all about?

The Council on Foreign Relations’ Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program put together an infographic to explain encryption, law enforcement concerns with ubiquitous encryption, and the arguments against mandating tech firms to maintain the capability to decrypt data. You can check it out here [PDF]. Make sure to share it!