Why can't I get PGP from MIT

Jeffrey I. Schiller jis at mit.edu
Sun Jan 7 14:35:27 PST 1996


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>I believe I had a problem when I wanted to get PGP coming from
>internexus.net (New Jersey). I just e-mailed them about it and I think
>they just added the site to their 'acceptable' list. I did a traceroute
>to why.net and noticed that it is very close to me, coming off of
>SprintNet... probably the same situation.

Internexus.net has been added to the list. The heuristic that the MIT site
enforces is as follows:

o To get access you must properly answer some questions regarding export control
  law and licensing.

o Your host must have an "inverse" DNS mapping so we can learn its name.

o Your host's name must end in either ".EDU", ".COM", ".MIL", ".GOV", ".US",
  or ".CA".

  *or*

  Be on our exception list.

All the ".NET's" and ".ORG's" need to be "excepted."

Maintaining the exception list has turned out to be a serious problem. I
receive roughly 20 messages a day from people needed to be added. To make
matters worse the exception list has to be maintained in two different
locations in two different formats. I just broke down today and automated
the management of the lists.

Unfortunately the only thing I can do for people whose machines do not have
an inverse DNS mapping is to send them personal copies via e-mail. However,
I have been too swamped to do this.

I am looking into alternative approaches of guarding the FTP site (possibly
doing a traceroute or something similar) in a better way that still meets
the requirements of maintaining export restrictions.

Please remember that I maintain the MIT FTP site in my all too rare spare time.

Thank you.

                                -Jeff

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