1997-09-11 - More on House Intelligence committee amendment on crypto

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From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
To: “fight-censorship@vorlon.mit.edu>
Message Hash: fd44a6d5aca9b2a39d6e4b3c7fc024ad4562804a755a80d7d38a8cb44152f8a5
Message ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970911152027.12105Z-100000@well.com>
Reply To: <01BCBEC8.8E34E8A0.wathab@tiac.net>
UTC Datetime: 1997-09-11 23:05:37 UTC
Raw Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 07:05:37 +0800

Raw message

From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 07:05:37 +0800
To: "fight-censorship@vorlon.mit.edu>
Subject: More on House Intelligence committee amendment on crypto
In-Reply-To: <01BCBEC8.8E34E8A0.wathab@tiac.net>
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.970911152027.12105Z-100000@well.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



So I'm reading through the 43-page amendment to SAFE that the House
Intelligence committee approved today. It includes: 

* Ban on sale of crypto without a backdoor. Five year & fine (maybe
$250,000?) if violated. Prosecutions can be held in closed-door
courtrooms, publishers of info about case to be held in contempt of court.

* Federal government computer purchases must use key escrow "immediate
decryption" after 1998. Same with network established w/Federal funds.

* Such products can be labeled "authorized for sale to U.S. government"

* U.S. government may "not mandate the use of encryption standards" for
the private sector

* Export decisions aren't subject to judicial review

* Defense & Commerce have controls of exports of crypto

* Establishes Encryption Industry and Information Security Board

* Internet providers, key recovery centers aren't liable if they turn over
keys following legal standards

* President can negotiate int'l agreements, perhaps punish noncompliant
governments

I'm still reading... More details shortly...

-Declan






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