Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!bloom-beacon!bloom-picayune.mit.edu!athena.mit.edu!jik From: jik@athena.mit.edu (Jonathan I. Kamens) Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions Subject: Re: DES (crypt) vs. the FTC Message-ID: <1991Mar21.202338.3102@athena.mit.edu> Date: 21 Mar 91 20:23:38 GMT References: Sender: news@athena.mit.edu (News system) Distribution: usa Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lines: 22 In article , mwarren@rws1.ma30.bull.com (Mark Warren) writes: |> My current belief is that there is no longer any restriction, from the US |> government, concerning shipping the DES algorithm overseas. Can anyone |> provide an *AUTHORITIVE* confirmation on this? As far as I know, there are still restrictions. Some versions of Unix manage to ship overseas with crypt() (and more recently with Kerberos, e.g. in Ultrix 4.0), because of the following: 1. The code is being used for *authentication*, rather than for *encryption*. I believe the export restrictions draw a distinction. 2. The vendors get specific permission from the government to export the code in the specific form it takes in their products. They have enough money and enough lawyers to do this. :-) -- Jonathan Kamens USnail: MIT Project Athena 11 Ashford Terrace jik@Athena.MIT.EDU Allston, MA 02134 Office: 617-253-8085 Home: 617-782-0710