Re: Fwd: [comp.risks] Risks Digest 20.11

[Jim Pick <jim@jimpick.com>]

kaih@khms.westfalen.de (Kai Henningsen) writes:

> > According to some international developers of crypto software, some
> > Wassenaar countries have exemptions in the works for free or Open Source
> > crypto software (with various definitions of what's allowed).  There are
> > also supposed to be exemptions for public domain software.
> 
> Wassenaar itself exempts that stuff. See http://www.wassenaar.org.

The exemptions listed on http://www.wassenaar.org/ predate the new
agreement.  Crypto export has been regulated in the Wassenaar
countries for years, but fortunately we have been exempt.  There was a
conference in Ottawa in October where it was updated.  It's unclear
whether or not the exemptions we are using have been maintained.

The new agreement was reached behind "closed doors" - the details are
not yet public knowledge, AFAIK.  The only inside information we have
so far comes from the Reuters news report, where the U.S. envoy
claimed victory.  Until more details come out, it's impossible to say
with any certainty whether the exemptions we currently rely upon have
been maintained or changed.

Cheers,

 - Jim