CDT Policy Post 2.27 - No New News on Crypto: Gore Restates

[Bill Frantz]

At  2:05 PM 7/13/96 +0000, Deranged Mutant wrote:
>On 12 Jul 96 at 18:23, Bob Palacios posted:
>
>[Banner Snipped!]]
>>  CDT POLICY POST Volume 2, Number 27                        July 12, 1996
>[..]
>
>> Today's statement is essentially a re-statement of the Clipper III proposal
>> released in May.  Among other things, the Vice President:
>> 
>> *  Called for the liberalization of export controls provided computer
>>    users participate in a "global key management infrastructure"
>>    designed to make personal encryption keys accessible to law
>>    enforcement.
>
>This is particularly problematic... if the mainland Chinese gov't 
>requested a key from a N.Amercian or European (or even UN controlled) 
>escrow agency, who is to say it isn't really for political reasons 
>(even though they may claim the persons are drug smugglers)?
>
>Or what if the 'crime' was, say, discussing Mormon beliefs, which is 
>illegal in Singapore (and I think Russia as well)?
>
>Or what if some terrorist was using keys escrowed in a country that 
>sponsered terrorist acts?  

Deranged Mutant is absolutely right.  There are about 150 (or so)
governments in the world.  When people talk about making keys available to
government (or law enforcement), always ask, "Which governments can access
these keys?"  If I were a non-French corporation, I would feel distinctly
nervous if the answer included France.  (There are a number of other
countries where the security services have also been suspected of engaging
in industrial espionage.)


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Frantz       | The Internet may fairly be | Periwinkle -- Consulting
(408)356-8506     | regarded as a never-ending | 16345 Englewood Ave.
frantz at netcom.com | worldwide conversation.    | Los Gatos, CA 95032, USA