The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), as stated in its submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, fully supports and recognises the legitimacy of readily available encrypted communications applications, such as those available on the Android and Apple Application stores. Encryption and anonymising technologies have a valuable role in protecting the privacy and data of Australians.
The ACIC does not support the use of dedicated encrypted communications platforms which can only be used to communicate with similar devices, such as SkyECC, Encrochat and Phantom Secure.
These platforms were developed specifically to obscure the identities of the user, which enables communication within closed networks to facilitate highly sophisticated criminal activity.
The ACIC has no information to suggest these types of devices had a legitimate use before they were disrupted by law enforcement.