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The widespread use of strong encryption is fundamental
to the protection of our nation's critical infrastructures
and should not be impaired by the establishment of a
mandatory key-escrow system or imposition of "backdoors"
in the algorithms. There are strong technical reasons
to believe that any such restrictions are both unworkable
and unenforceable. Misguided attempts to restrict encryption
will hurt legitimate U.S. security needs and damage
the U.S. economy.
USACM Activities
- USACM submits memo to the Congressional Internet
Caucus and the House and Senate Judiciary Committees
on: October 2, 2001 Government
controls on encryption
- Letter to
Senator Judd Gregg regarding his proposal to revive
government controls on encryption. The proposal
calls for a ban on all non-key-escrow systems. Read
October 2, 2001 press release here.
- USACM on November 7, 1997, joined 14 other
groups and three distinguished computer security
experts and cryptographers to sign a brief on encryption
submitted to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in
the Bernstein v. State Department case. The case
challenges the constitutionality of export controls
of encryption.
- Letter
of leading Scientific Societies opposing proposed
amendments to HR 695 that would
restrict encryption technology, September 24, 1997.
Press
release.
- USACM press release
on California state resolution calling for relaxation
of export controls on cryptography, September 8,
1997.
- USACM comments on Digital
Signatures to National Institute of Standards and
Technology, July 16, 1997.
- USACM's
comments
on Interim Regulations on Cryptography, February
12, 1997.
- USACM
friend of the court
brief in the Karn v. US State Department case
arguing that export controls on cryptography are
unconstitutional.
- Testimony
of USACM Chair Barbara Simons before US Senate Commerce
Committee on cryptography exports, June 26, 1996.
- USACM and IEEE/USA letter on export
controls of encryption, April 1996.
- Codes, Keys, and Conflicts: Issues in U.S. Crypto Policy.
A report of a special panel of USACM. June 1994.
- USACM Statement on the Escrowed
Encryption Standard. June 1994.
Other Resources
ACM Turing Awards Lecture on cryptography history
by Dr.
Adleman, Dr.
Rivest, and
Dr. Shamir
HR. 850, Security And Freedom through Encryption (SAFE) Act
S. 798,
Promote Reliable On-Line Transactions to Encourage
Commerce and Trade (PROTECT) Act of 1999
H.R. 1903, Computer
Security Enhancement Act of 1997.
S.
909, Secure Public Networks Act.
S.
377, Promotion of Commerce On-Line in the Digital
Era (Pro-CODE) Act of 1997
S.
376, Encrypted Communications Privacy Act of 1997.
Internet Privacy Coalition
letter supporting
H.R. 695, Security
and Freedom Through Encryption (SAFE) Act, April
28, 1997. The Act was amended and approved by the
House Judiciary Committee on May 14, 1997.
Full text of the National Research Council report Cryptography's Role in Securing the Information
Society.
EPIC's
Crypto Policy
Archives.
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