Lotus to export 64 bit, partially-escrowed Notes

[jim bell]

At 03:45 PM 1/17/96 -6, Peter Trei wrote:

>A new 'international' version of Lotus notes is being released, with
>64 bit session keys, as opposed to the old 40 bit version.
>
>24 bits of the session key are stored encrypted under a special, 
>government-access RSA public key. This is in addittion to the full
>64 bit key being available under the recipient's public RSA key.
>
>The idea is that the USG would have to search only a 40-bit keyspace,
>while others will need to search a 64-bit keyspace.
>Reportedly, this 'workfactor reduction key' will NOT be available to 
>foreign governments.
>My colleague reports that opinion at the conference was divided over
>whether Lotus was doing something which made good business
>sense, or whether this was 'caving-in'.

My "vote"?  They're "caving-in."