Customs and police investigators in Germany have been accessing encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Threema, and Signal without using government-developed malware or "Trojan horses." This method was revealed by Gérald Darmanin, France’s current Minister of the Interior, during a recent testimony before the National Assembly. Darmanin outlined how authorities have been targeting encrypted communication platforms used by individuals suspected of radicalization. His concerns were heightened after the 2021 assassination of teacher Samuel Paty, which led to a significant increase in police actions, including "home visits" and searches of private residences. Following the attack, the number of home visits by authorities rose sharply—from 25 to 277, a 1,108% increase—while seizures of electronic devices jumped from 14 to 141, a 1,007% rise, over a short period. These visits were aimed at reviewing messages on devices that could not be accessed remotely, as the content was exchanged on encrypted platforms. The goal was to gather evidence that could be used in legal proceedings, although the exact number of cases initiated as a result of these searches remains unclear. According to the website Netzpolitik, German customs investigators have also used social engineering tactics to access encrypted messaging platforms. In one example, a couple was asked to unlock their phones and show messages exchanged with their daughter at a police station. Without their knowledge, investigators activated a feature that linked the account to a new device, enabling them to access the messages on their own computers. Many messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, and Threema, allow users to sync their accounts with web versions, while Signal offers a separate desktop application for this purpose. Investigators then used these web interfaces to scan QR codes from the parents' mobile devices, granting them access to all messages—past and future—without the need for advanced surveillance technology. A document obtained by Netzpolitik from the Office of Customs Criminal Investigations (Zollkriminalamt) describes this method as a way to monitor instant messaging communications without infiltrating devices with surveillance software. This approach highlights the evolving strategies used by law enforcement to navigate the challenges posed by encrypted communications.