According to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Mr. Jeh Johnson, the department will be opening a Cybersecurity related Satellite office in Silicon Valley.
Jeh Johnson was addressing at the world’s largest cyber RSA security conference where he announced the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) plan to open an office in the Silicon Valley.
It’s also pushing back against moves by tech companies to digitally encode computer traffic to protect it from prying eyes. The move west is a peace offering to the tech community, which was angered when details about the extent of government digital surveillance were revealed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
Apparently, the Silicon Valley will aid DHS in enticing top tech talent of the Valley to work for it in the upcoming US Digital Service.
Johnson stated: “I hope some of you listening will consider a tour of service for your country.”
Johnson also revealed that the department was trying to find ways for working in collaboration with firms competing to encrypt their files. He believes that the inability of the department in accessing encrypted data poses crucial public safety challenges.
Johnson said: “The current course we are on, toward deeper and deeper encryption in response to the demands of the marketplace, is one that presents real challenges for those in law enforcement and national security.”
He also added that encryption plays a critical role in preventing criminal and terrorist acts.
This is not the first time when a government official is emphasizing on the negative side of encryption. In past, the FBI chief openly bashed tech giants (Apple and Google) for encrypting user data.