FITUG e.V. Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft

US Crypto 5 + AU

------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date:          Tue, 09 Feb 1999 11:57:44 -0500
To:            cryptography@c2.net
From:          John Young <jya@pipeline.com>
Subject:       US Crypto 5 + AU

We offer five recent statements on US crypto policy
by the House Armed Services Committee, Senator
Burns, AG Reno, FBI's Freeh and John Gilmore:

   http://jya.com/us-crypto5.htm

We'd appreciate pointers to other statements and
reactions to the five.

Senator Burns' office says a draft of a crypto bill is
being worked on but will not be much different from
his 97 version. Senator Goodlatte is said to be working
on one too. ACP, BSA and perhaps others are
noodling the topic while waiting the end of the circus.

Meanwhile the administration is not budging from its
KE policy, at home and abroad. And the Wassenaar
herd? Who knows. AU may be getting ready to bolt
writes Roger Clarke today on AU Crypto:

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Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 16:10:19 +1100

Steve Orlowski suggested in an APSCF (Smart Cards Forum) 
meeting on Monday 8 Feb that the Australian Government 
had recently adapted its policy to "facilitate the use of and 
access to strong cryptography" (I wrote that down as he said it, and
was shocked, so I remember it).

Steve referred to the NOIE 'Strategic Framework for the Info 
Economy' document;  but the actual statement in there is quite 
different:

"The confidence of Australian businesses and other users in 
the security and authenticity of their online transactions and 
activity can be increased by governments facilitating the use 
of and access to authentication and encryption technology 
and systems. The government recognises the broad
benefits that will flow from sound business practice in this type of
technology, and proposes to establish itself as an example of good
practice".


http://www.noie.gov.au/docs/strategy/strategicframework.html
(2.5, p.20:  Security and Authentication)

So it's just a statement that 'we've heard, and understand, that the
private sector wants access to strong crypto'.

I distribute this because I fear that Steve may repeat that
inaccuracy, and cause unnecessary confusion:  sorry, but as far as I
can see, nothing's changed ...

It's quite feasible, on the other hand, to read the inaccuracy as a
signal that the Australian Government either expects the U.S.
Government to soon wake up to itself, enabling a change to the
Australian Government's policy; or even that the Australian Government
is losing patience, and may choose the right time to lead the U.S.
Government in the appropriate direction.

Roger Clarke              http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916

mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au            http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Fellow,   Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
The Australian National University     Canberra  ACT  0200 AUSTRALIA
Information Sciences Building Room 211       Tel:  +61  2  6249 3666

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