CDR: Re: Lions and Tigers and Backdoors, oh, my...

[Michael Motyka]

>From the article...

 Until recently the US government strictly controlled the strength of
 cryptography in software exported to different countries, in order
 to protect the government's ability to access and monitor
 communications data. The regulations were relaxed after pressure
 from industry but Madison believes that this may have driven the
 NSA to find ways to carry out surveillance. "They're not going to
 give in over exporting strong cryptography without getting
 something in return," he says. 

I can't believe that they would voluntarily enter a period of weakend
capabilities. My guess would be that he has the event ordering wrong.
More likely the security types had alternatives in place and this, along
with the easy flow of crypto code over the borders meant that relaxing
the crypto regulations would not alter the landscape. It might even
appease some of the privacy activists. Keep your eye on the birdie.

I'm still waiting for RIP-USA to rear its ugly mug.

Mike