🚀 go-pugleaf

ct@dde.dk (Claus Tondering) writes:

> As far as I know, US laws forbid the export of cryptographic
> software. However, WordPerfect contains a (very simple and insecure)
> cryptographic feature. And WordPerfect is exported from the US with
> this feature. Why is this legal? Is it because the code is so
> easily broken? Is this the very reason for making the code so
> incredibly simple?

If I understand it correctly, the US -laws- do NOT forbid anything
like that. Instead, there are some export -regulations- (which are not
laws) that state that it is forbidden to export/import crypto software
without a license. Can anybody who has access to the full text of ITAR
tell us whether it contains a definition for "crypto software"? My
guess is that it doesn't and the Department of State keeps the right
to decide what is crypto software and what isn't. They probably try to
be reasonable and allow the export of weak crypto systems without a
license by saying that they are not strong enough to be considered
crypto software. Note again that this is just my wild guess - I am not
familiar with the US legal system. Let's hope that somebody more
competent than me will provide the necessary explanation.

Regards,
Vesselin
-- 
Vesselin Vladimirov Bontchev          Virus Test Center, University of Hamburg
Tel.:+49-40-54715-224, Fax: +49-40-54715-226      Fachbereich Informatik - AGN
< PGP 2.1 public key available on request. > Vogt-Koelln-Strasse 30, rm. 107 C
e-mail: bontchev@fbihh.informatik.uni-hamburg.de    D-2000 Hamburg 54, Germany