Escrowed Keys

Escrowed Keys refer to a key management system where a copy of the encryption keys is held by a trusted third party — often called a key escrow agent.
This allows encrypted data to be decrypted under specific legal or security circumstances, such as government investigations, corporate recovery, or lost key retrieval.

In this video, we’ll explain how key escrow works, why it’s controversial, and how it affects both data privacy and national security.

You’ll learn about:

The concept of key escrow and why it was introduced.

The difference between key escrow, key recovery, and key management.

Real-world applications in corporate encryption systems, law enforcement, and cloud storage.

The privacy risks and ethical debates surrounding escrowed keys.

How modern cryptography seeks to balance security, transparency, and user control.

By the end, you’ll understand why escrowed keys are one of the most debated topics in cybersecurity — and how they shape policies around trust, surveillance, and encryption laws.