At the Symantec Government Symposium on Tuesday, FBI director James Comey said he "can't resist talking about encryption and going dark", and will continue an "adult" discussion into 2017. What's stopping him now, seems to be the media attention on the presidential election. He continued "The challenge we face is that the advent of default, ubiquitous strong encryption is making more and more of the room we are charged to investigate dark". Referring to device encryption on iPhones and Android phones, as well as Whatsapp, etc.

Meanwhile in Europe, French and German politicians have seized on the recent fear of violence to push similar rhetoric. Last week French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said that "they will push for a Europe-wide law requiring tech companies to provide law enforcement agencies with access to encrypted messages when necessary". Cazeneuve said, “We propose that the EU Commission studies the possibility of a legislative act introducing rights and obligations for operators to force them to remove illicit content or decrypt messages as part of investigations, whether or not they are based in Europe". The "our law" should universal thinking, in other words.

The "crypto wars" are as hot as ever, and even though the latest communication technology offerings have made it easier for everybody to stay private, it is clear that the Western surveillance states will not give up without a fight.