Europol Launches Data Decryption Platform for Law Enforcement

Europol has announced the launch of a new platform designed to improve the efficiency of decrypting data lawfully collected during criminal investigations. The goal of the project is to ensure that digital evidence, previously inaccessible for analysis, can now be processed centrally and with the benefit of accumulated expertise. This is expected to enhance efforts to combat organized crime and terrorism within the European Union.

The new service was developed in collaboration with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. The project is managed by the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), which operates under Europol.

“The launch of the new data decryption platform is an important step in the fight against organized crime and terrorism in Western Europe,” Europol stated in its press release. “This initiative will help law enforcement agencies in EU countries ensure the safety of communities and citizens without infringing on their fundamental rights or restricting or weakening encryption.”

EU Council’s Position on Encryption

The European Council has adopted a resolution on encryption, emphasizing the need to ensure security “both through encryption and despite encryption.” In its press release, the Council expressed its readiness to support the development of strong encryption tools, as they are essential for protecting citizens’ rights and safety in the digital space. At the same time, European lawmakers advocated for giving authorized law enforcement and judicial authorities the ability to access digital evidence protected by encryption.

The EU Council’s stance on “security despite encryption” is best explained in its three-year-old report (PDF) on European cybercrime policies. The report includes the following recommendations:

• EU member states should invest in specialized software and hardware with adequate performance, as well as in staff training, to ensure the decryption of files and communications.
• EU member states should ensure cooperation with all relevant stakeholders, including—when necessary—private companies, to expand decryption capabilities for authorized authorities.
• EU member states should intensify research and development to improve decryption effectiveness, and in particularly complex cases, use Europol resources, especially the EC3 data decryption platform.

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