The government’s legal war with the tech industry is far from over

FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday said the U.S. government will continue to wage legal war with tech companies to gain access to encrypted devices, intimating that such measures are weakening terror organizations like ISIL. At an FBI briefing, Comey said gaining privileged access to passcode locked — or otherwise protected — devices is an important national security concern as encryption is now “essential tradecraft” of terror groups, reports Reuters. He suggested FBI investigations, including those that involve digital evidence retrieval, are helping dissuade Americans from joining militant groups. “I think the ISIL brand has lost significant power in the United States,” Comey said, adding that his agency currently has more than 1,000 ongoing investigations into individuals in danger of being radicalized.