Australia passes encryption breaking laws

IANS  |  Canberra 

on Friday passed controversial laws designed to compel companies to grant police and security agencies access to encrypted messages.

The government has said that the laws, a world first, are necessary to help combat terrorism and crime, the reported.

The laws were rushed through parliament on its final day of the year.

The Labor opposition said it had reluctantly supported the laws to help protect Australians during the period, but on Friday it said that "legitimate concerns" about them remained.

Cyber-security experts have warned the laws could now create a "global weak point" for companies such as and

already has laws which require providers to hand over a suspect's communication to police.

Under Australia's legislation, the police can force companies to create a technical function that would give them access to encrypted messages without the user's knowledge.

If companies don't comply with the laws, they risk being fined.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Fri, December 07 2018. 12:26 IST