Zergo offers key escrow compromise

NEWS Security specialist Zergo has come up with an alternative to key escrow in response to the UK government's call for input on its encryption and ecommerce legislation. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has been in ongoing talks with businesses about how to shape its ecommerce laws - including the controversial key escrow policy which it has been forced to scrap. The policy proposed to give police full access to encryption codes, but businesses protested that the strict controls would stifle ecommerce. Zergo's suggestion is that the police's right to access encryption keys should be restricted to suspected criminals only. That way, the company argues, privacy rights will be maintained and businesses will be left to develop ecommerce frameworks in peace. According to Henry Becker, chief executive of Zergo, its suggestion is the only way to ensure all parties are happy. "If the DTI went ahead with the strict key escrow, all companies would be forced to move offshore. This alternative gives UK plc a chance to compete in the global ecommerce market," he said. Although today is officially the end of the government's consultation period many organisations - including e centre UK and software consultancy, JCP - claim there is still a long way to go before a proper ebusiness framework is finalised.