A top expert in practical cryptography was rehired by Apple Inc this month to bring more powerful security features to a wide range of consumer products even as the company continues to resist pressure from U.S. law enforcement to unlock encrypted iPhones.

An Apple spokesman said that Jon Callas rejoined Apple in May. Callas had in the past co-founded several well-respected secure communications companies including PGP Corp, Silent Circle and Blackphone.

Callas had designed an encryption system to protect data stored on a Macintosh computer while he worked at Apple between 2009 and 2011 after having a stint in the company in the 1990s.

Apple declined to detail his new role, and Callas declined to comment.

The debate about whether Apple should help law enforcement access encrypted customer information stored on its devices has seen the Cupertino, California-based company clash with the U.S. government over the last few months.

One of the shooters in last year’s attacks in San Bernardino, California had used an iPhone which had been locked and the investigators were unable to crack the encrypted security of the phone. Earlier this year, federal judges in California and New York were asked by the U.S. Department of Justice to force Apple to break into locked iPhones that included the one from the alleged California killer.

While the political debate over encrypted technology continues, the cases were dropped after the authorities managed to access the iPhones without Apple’s help.

Tech companies need to help the government hunt criminals, maintain the FBI and law enforcement agencies. Requiring them to circumvent their own encryption would undermine the security of their products and make them more vulnerable to malicious hackers say Apple and other tech companies.

A legislation to require companies to help law enforcement agencies bypass encryption, meanwhile, is being mulled by a Senate committee.

He is against companies being compelled by law enforcement to break into their own encrypted products, Callas has said. However a compromise proposal under which law enforcement officials can take advantage of undisclosed software vulnerabilities to hack into tech systems with a court order is supportable, he has also said, as long as they disclose the vulnerabilities afterwards so they can be patched.

“Jon is someone who has deep appreciation of all sides of the story,” said Phil Dunkelberger, who was chief executive of PGP Corp and its predecessor PGP Inc, which invented a system for securing email.

The manner in which encrypted communications are going mainstream is exhibited by Callas’ return to Apple. Blackphone sells a mobile phone that is very difficult to hack and Silent Circle protects phone calls from eavesdroppers. Both companies are small but well regarded.

It would continue to increase the security of its products, Apple has said. Encryption that makes it harder for law enforcement to access digital information have also been implemented by companies including Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp messaging service.

“It has always been Jon’s dream to bring the most secure products possible to a bigger population,” said Mike Janke, who co-founded the secure email company Silent Circle with Callas.

(Adapted from Reuters)

Categories: HR & Organization, Regulations & Legal, Uncategorized