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-