There are multiple sides to the encryption debate, but the sides generally reduce to two main parties: those who favor cryptosystems built as strongly as possible, and those who favor cryptosystems built with the opportunity for access if necessary and approved by a judicial authority. The recent adoption of encryption technologies hinders the orders of judges to authorize disclosure of information and law enforcement's ability to conduct investigations. Encryption is a process to secure information from unwanted access or use. Encryption uses the art of cryptography, which comes from the Greek words meaning "secret writing," to change information which can be read (plaintext) and make it so that it cannot be read (ciphertext). Decryption uses the same art of cryptography to change that ciphertext back to plaintext. How does encryption work? A cryptosystem is a five-element system which includes a set of plaintexts , keys , encryption methods , decryption methods , and ciphertexts . Key escrow systems propose that an intermediary holds encryption keys so that authorized users may access their data in the event that they lose or forget their password, or in the event that a government agency presents the intermediary with a court order to hand over the data. Hackers will seek to circumvent any security put in place to protect the keys, seeking to reap the payload of an unknown trove of users' keys—and data. There are legitimate and illegitimate ways to access encrypted data. for more. Encryption is not new to human communications. This by-default encryption exponentially increased the amount of digital evidence that law enforcement was not as easily able to access, and therefore the debate over security of individuals and national security became more prevalent. While a user accesses the data, or is otherwise processing the data, it is in plaintext. Uses

		Who uses encryption? However, data that are in use are in a plaintext form to the user or system so that they can manipulate that data, and thus these data cannot be encrypted. A cybersystem includes the end terminals in use; the modems and routers used to transmit data; the servers that process the information; the software packages used in sharing that data; other network-connected devices on that network collecting, generating, and processing data; and the user. Encryption is used by all elements in the cybersystem to protect the data in that system, the users of the system, and the system itself. This expansion amplifies the opportunities for encryption to be applied as a protective measure. As a result, law enforcement has reported instances of being stymied from obtaining certain communications as well as stored data that have been encrypted. In the physical world, an attacker would need to be physically near its target to carry out an attack. Encryption is a tool information security professionals and end-users can employ to ensure the data under their care remains confidential and its integrity remains intact. Continue to allow the courts to develop case law on encryption . But after a few years of this strategy both the government and the technology community are coalescing around a view that Congress legislate on the matter of the availability of encryption and law enforcement's access to encrypted communications, in order to provide uniformity and certainty.
Encryption is a process to secure information from unwanted access or use. Encryption uses the art of cryptography to change information which can be read (plaintext) and make it so that it cannot be read (ciphertext). Decryption uses the same art of cryptography to change that ciphertext back to plaintext. Encryption takes five elements to work: plaintexts, keys, encryption methods, decryption methods, and ciphertexts. Data that are in a state of being stored or in a state of being sent are eligible for encryption. However, data that are in a state of being processed—that is being generated, altered, or otherwise used—are unable to be encrypted and remain in plaintext and vulnerable to unauthorized access.
Purposes of Encryption
Today, encryption is as ubiquitous as the devices that connect to the Internet. Encryption is a tool that information security professionals and end users alike can employ to ensure that the data in their custody remain confidential to only those who are authorized to access the data. It also helps to ensure that data is accessed as the authorized users intend, and not altered by a third party.
Strong encryption helps users around the world trust the systems and data they are using, thereby facilitating the transactions that allow society to operate, such as economic activity, control of utilities, and government. This is important because the world has become more connected, and attackers have become more persistent and pervasive. It is difficult to overemphasize the extent to which Internet-connected systems are under attack. But the frequency with which data breaches are exposed in the news media can act as an indicator of the prevalence of active exploitations. Encryption is a tool used to thwart attempts to compromise legitimate activity and national security.
Major Issues
However, encryption has posed challenges to law enforcement and elements of national security. Strong encryption sometimes hinders law enforcement's ability to collect digital evidence and investigate crimes in the physical world. As more real world transactions are conducted via digital means and adversaries continue to perpetrate crimes, this problem may become more pronounced. There are multiple sides to the encryption debate, but the sides generally reduce to two main parties: those who favor cryptosystems built as strongly as possible, and those who favor cryptosystems built with the opportunity for access if necessary and approved by a judicial authority.
Encryption has created new issues for end users, as well. The technology was adopted rapidly, and users were not afforded the same opportunities to alter their habits as with the more steady adoption of technologies in the past. With the quick adoption of encryption, users left themselves more vulnerable to being unable to access or share their own data, for instance in the event that they forget the key or lack a way to share that key.
One proposal to alleviate concerns over access to encrypted data by law enforcement includes mandating access for law enforcement while retaining strong encryption. However, this proposal undermines how encryption systems are built by introducing some extraordinary access into the system beyond the direct access of the user. This proposal carries risk as it creates an attack vector which adversaries of all types could seek to exploit. The increased risk raises the possibility that a persistent adversary will be able to circumvent the protections put in place to allow limited access and compromise the data and systems in use. In the 114th Congress, many activities have focused on encryption, including some legislative proposals.