Security experts: FBI asking Apple to weaken encryption is 'path to hell'

As digital privacy issues erupt worldwide, experts gathering in San Francisco are united that the government should not influence security technology

Efforts by the US government to compromise the security of technology companies such as Apple are "misguided", a precursor to "tyranny" and "a path to hell", according to computer security experts gathered in San Francisco this week.

The consensus at the RSA conference, where luminaries from the security community are gathered, is that Washington will have a hard time convincing Silicon Valley engineers to invent a technical solution to resolve the standoff between Apple and the FBI.