Crypto came up a couple times during Q&A as well. -Declan On Sun, 6 Sep 1998, Information Security wrote:
Ying:
From: Jim Choate <ravage@EINSTEIN.ssz.com>
Tauzin: FBI won't get crypto key and more on high-tech and Capitol Hill September 3, 1998 5:55 PM PT Updated at 6:58 PM PT
SAN FRANCISCO -- An influential Congressman says Congress is close to resolving the bitter dispute over encryption software, and it looks as though it will be decided in favor of the high-tech industry.
U.S. Rep. Bill Tauzin, R-La., said flatly that "we're not going to give the FBI the keys to the encryption system." The remark came as part of a wide-ranging interview with ZDNN.
Yang:
Subject: Terrorist FBI, on Terrorism Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 09:58:23 EDT
Statement for the Record FBI Director Louis J. Freeh before the Senate Judiciary Committee, September 3, 1998
Good morning Chairman Hatch and members of the judiciary committee. I am pleased to be with you this morning as you explore the U.S. Government's response to international terrorism.
[snip]
THE FUTURE
Would like to close by talking briefly about steps we can take to further strengthen our abilities to prevent and investigate terrorist activity.
ENCRYPTION
One of the most important of these steps involves the FBI's encryption initiative. Communication is central to any collaborative effort -- including criminal conspiracies. Like most criminals, terrorists are naturally reluctant to put the details of their plots down on paper. Thus, they generally depend on oral or electronic communication to formulate the details of their terrorist activities.
For this reason, the law enforcement community is very concerned about the serious threat posed by the proliferation of encryption technology. Current standards do not allow for law enforcement access or the timely decryption of critical evidence obtained through lawful electronic surveillance or search and seizures.
The FBI supports a balanced encryption policy that satisfies fourth amendment concerns for privacy, the commercial needs of industry for robust encryption, and the government's public safety and national security needs.
The encryption capabilities available to criminals and terrorists today effectively thwart the ability of law enforcement agencies to implement the court-ordered surveillance techniques that have helped put some of the nation's most dangerous offenders behind bars. Whether a state police department is racing the clock to find a kidnapped child or the FBI is attempting to track and prevent the destructive ambitions of an international terrorist group, the need for timely access to legally obtained electronic surveillance cannot be overstated.
[snip]
EXPANSION OF FBI LEGATS
Likewise, the expansion of the number of FBI LEGATS around the world has enhanced the ability of the FBI to prevent, respond to, and investigate terrorist acts committed by international terrorists against U.S. Interests worldwide. As evidenced by developments in the embassy bombing cases in East Africa, the ability to bring investigative resources to bear quickly in the aftermath of a terrorist act can have significant impact on our ability to identify those responsible. I encourage Congress to support our efforts to counter the international terrorist threat by continuing to support expansion of our LEGAT program.
[snip]