| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 4497.1 | what "128 bit" means | LGP30::FLEISCHER | without vision the people perish (DTN 381-0426 ZKO1-1) | Mon Feb 24 1997 09:01 | 23 |
| re Note 4497.0 by CIM2NI::CROSBY:
> I just went to the microsoft site to download Internet Explorer. When
> I selected IE for Win95/NT it gave me a defalt selection of
> "Internet Explorer 3.01 128 bit Version (US/Canada only)"
The "128 bit" in the description of a browser (or server, for
that matter) refers to the length of the key supported in the
encryption implementation. The US government considers
software which can use such long keys to be "munitions" and
thus is export-controlled.
There are versions of browsers and servers which support
only shorter keys (40 bits, but that has been/is being
increased somewhat) for worldwide distribution.
The security protocols negotiate the key length between
client and server; thus a long key server can negotiate
down to use a short key if the browser only supports shorter
keys and vice versa (the clients and servers can be setup to
refuse to go to the shorter mode, if desired).
Bob
|
| 4497.2 | | PCBUOA::BAYJ | Jim, Portables | Mon Feb 24 1997 12:58 | 5 |
| So how does Microsoft prevent the 128 bit "munition" from being
downloaded by enemy governments?
jeb
|
| 4497.3 | Export Control: Probably an Address Check | xdelta.zko.dec.com::HOFFMAN | Steve, OpenVMS Engineering | Mon Feb 24 1997 13:34 | 30 |
| : So how does Microsoft prevent the 128 bit "munition" from being
: downloaded by enemy governments?
There's probably an address check in the download path.
Don't attempt to download export-controlled software in violation the
export controls of the US or other nations, don't import this software
into countries with import controls, and don't make export-controlled
software accessable to non-US citizens or to non-US sites.
We -- DIGITAL -- don't want to be fined for export-control violations.
--
Personal opinion ahead:
This whole area is all a really big farce -- a farce that is enforced
with big fines, by folks� with no sense of humor, and with a serious
gift for self-delusion or self-interest...
The US export regulations -- regulations that attempted to control the
availability of PGP/Voice served to delay the availability of the
software from an unrestricted site (in Finland) for roughly three days
and six hours... (That it took that long was somewhat surprising.)
We -- DIGITAL -- don't want to be fined for export-control violations.
--
�The US legislative and executive branches.
|
| 4497.4 | I'm from the government and I'm here to help you | DSNENG::KOLBE | Wicked Wench of the Web | Tue Feb 25 1997 15:31 | 5 |
| Export restrictions are not just something" We Digital" want to avoid.
We "the individual" can be held accountable and be fined or jailed.
However, I agree that this entire export policy is head-in-the-sand
stupidity. liesl
|