Europol is building a decryption platform with which police can decrypt data

Europol is starting with a decryption platform that can be used to crack encrypted data in investigations. The police department does not disclose details about the platform. Europol calls the project a milestone in the fight against terrorism and crime without watering down encryption.

The project is called the Europol Decryption Platform. Police forces from European member states can use the platform to decrypt data it has stolen in criminal investigations. The platform belongs to Europol but was set up in collaboration with the Joint Research Center of the European Commission. Europol worked on the platform for three years.

According to Europol, participating police organizations can decrypt data ‘in a secure manner while continuing to respect fundamental rights’. “We have taken a significant step towards combating encryption abuse with the aim of keeping our society safe while preserving fundamental rights,” said Europol Director Catherine de Bolle.

It is not known how the platform works. Europol does not say what software and hardware tools it uses for decryption. It is also not known under which legal framework encrypted files may be decrypted. Earlier this year, another document surfaced that talked about a decryption platform. It uses “newly acquired processing power to improve the speed and efficiency of cracking encrypted data.”