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Re: Is SSL legal to import/use in Israel



Ira Abramov wrote:
> the reasons to can't export RSAREF from the US is double... security (it's
> officially called "exporting weapons" by the US government) and copyright
> (RSA ltd. but since Adi Shamir and friends are Israelis, I suppose they
> have the right to do with that code whatever they want...)

I don't think RSA is classified as munition.  Only DES specifically
is classified as such.

RSA can't be USED inside the US without a license from Adi Shamir
and co. because it is a registered patent in the US only, but not
outside it (they had some legal glitch, something to do about
publication before patent registration or something).

DES can't be exported from the U.S., but there are many copies
allready available outside the U.S. so you don't have to break the
American law in order to put your hands on one.

(btw, I once asked on a security mailing list whether copying a DES
code from Australia (the lines go through the US) also breaks
the American law, nobody could give me a definitive answer :-)

As for the law in Israel, you can use encryption as long as you
provide the key to decrypt upon request, otherwise you would have
had to ask for permission for every unix machine and every copy of
netscape since the passwords use encryption (and back 10 years ago
there weren't too many machines to be traced by the government if
they had the urge to do so)

> now that it was imported, and the state of israel doesn't really care
> about that, you need to install and use it, which Israel DOES care about.
> you need an official approval from MISRAD HABITAKHON to use encryption...
> but who gives a /dev/null?

Really?  Where did you hear that?  My source, as far as I remember,
was the newspaper ages ago and talks while I worked at the uni.

Cheers,

--Amos

--Amos Shapira                  | "Of course Australia was marked for
                                |  glory, for its people had been chosen
amos@dsi.co.il                  |  by the finest judges in England."
                                |                         -- Anonymous


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