When Encryption Became a Crime: Is Cryptography a Weapon?

When Encryption Became a Crime

Is Cryptography a Weapon?

Did you know that #cryptography was considered a weapon in the US? and the regulations surrounding it forced entrepreneurs and academics to cross the border into Mexico to develop it? Well, as you can imagine, governments and cryptography have a love-hate relationship.

They dream of monopolizing its usage. Recently, the UK government proposed the 2021 Online Safety Bill, attempting to force tech companies to break encryption in their apps if required by the government. Fortunately, in 2023, the government accepted defeat and stopped pushing.

Encryption: A Double-Edged Sword

Of course, cryptography can be weaponized, ever heard of ransomware? We all remember how those organizations have blackmailed companies and governments to decrypt their information. However, safety is never worth sacrificing freedom, especially when it comes to encryption, and my position is clearly pro-civil cryptography

Mexico to the rescue

Here’s the good news: not all governments freaked out about encryption. Mexico actually did something pretty cool back in the 70s and 80s. They started this whole “nearshoring” thing, where companies from other countries could set up shop in Mexico. Allowing the development of some of the most important protocols for secure communication in the world.

These advancements are still having a huge impact on how we all chat securely online.

I was lucky to be born in Sonora, a border state of Mexico with the US, and through a friend of my dad (Dr. Gaona), I met Jose Ignacio Mendivil Gutiérrez , a giant in cryptography who helped me decide to study computer engineering at a time in my life when I was completely lost (academically). I will never be able to thank them enough.

Safety vs. Freedom

Strong encryption is the ultimate shield for our online privacy and security. It keeps our chats safe and our sensitive info under wraps. But there’s this whole other side of the coin — law enforcement needing access to information to catch the bad guys.

Sure, ransomware and cybercrime are scary, but governments having too much control over encryption Sucks pretty bad as well. It can stifle innovation, make people lose trust in the whole online world, and ultimately take away our freedoms.

As tech keeps evolving, so will the debate around encryption. How can we make sure everyone stays safe online while still keeping our privacy in check?

Let’s keep the conversation going!