From: “George Kuzmowycz” <gkuzmo@ix.netcom.com>
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Message Hash: 9b6a0f692592af4ea0fe3348472ecdc3872311fb62f73568c44a8732bf204b07
Message ID: <199607092319.QAA00934@dfw-ix2.ix.netcom.com>
Reply To: N/A
UTC Datetime: 1996-07-10 05:12:09 UTC
Raw Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 13:12:09 +0800
From: "George Kuzmowycz" <gkuzmo@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 13:12:09 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: MSoft crypto API's
Message-ID: <199607092319.QAA00934@dfw-ix2.ix.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
The June 10, 1996 Network World carried a story on page 8 under the
title "Microsoft breaks crypto barrier", which starts off as follows:
" Microsoft Corp. last week said it will include cryptography-based
security technology in its operating systems, messaging product and
Web browser through a new set of APIs that will be available both in
the U.S. and overseas.
" The fact that the National Security Agency is allowing Microsoft
to export the cryptographic APIs is somewhat of a coup for the
software vendor, although the NSA did nothing to alter the current
export ban on strong encryption."
Later on, it says:
" Microsoft's Crypto APIs will be available to third-party vendors
writing applications with embedded security. But the hardware or
software Crypto-engines for these applications will need to be
digitally signed by Microsoft before they will work with the APIs.
Under an unusual arrangement with the NSA, Microsoft will act as a
front man for the powerful U.S. spy agency, checking on whether the
vendors' products comply with U.S. export rules."
I was a bit surprised not to see any discussion of this here. Is it
just old news? Or maybe people here don't read Network World?
I didn't paste in the whole article for copyright reasons. Since
they seem to be on a one-month lag with posting back articles on
their Web site, it just this week became available at
www.nwfusion.com.
An MS/NSA alliance?
-gk-
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