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Re: Encryption law in Israel
> On Tue, 17 Aug 1999, Nadav Har'El wrote:
>
> > Hi guys!
> >
> > A system administrator told me today that he was required by Israeli
> > law to use only the DES encryption option of ssh (the weakest ssh
encryption,
> > which is by default not compiled in because it's so weak), and that
other
> > encryptions supported by ssh (idea, 3des, etc.) are too powerful
> > and are not allowed by this law. He referred to a law called "Chok
Hazofen".
>
> As I've heard, the law does exist only for the reason that is was never
> cancelled. It's a mandatorical law (I wouldn't be surprised if it's still
in
> english), and nowadays it is not enforced to any degree. I know that alot
of
> respected systems in Israel use strong encryption without any problem with
> the above mentioned law.
That's totally untrue. This law is rather new (from the 70s I think), and
it's very much enforced. Every company that produces software that uses
encryption of some kind has to obtain a special permit before being able to
sell it. There are a few cases I know of, of companies who were forced to
stop developing and wait for the wheels of beurocracy to produce the permit.
However, the Shabak could care less about your Linux box and whether or not
it runs SSH. They are worried about companies like Checkpoint producing
'computerized weapons' in the form of strong encryption VPNs. You can argue
from now until the end of times on whether or not it's okay in a democracy,
but fact is: It's the law.
Again, no need for rm -rf /. The Shabak won't come knocking at your door and
you probably have nothing to worry about unless you're selling software with
strong encryption, or you're administrating a govermental network.
-------------------------
Aviram Jenik
"Addicted to Chaos"
-------------------------
Today's quote:
Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them;
sometimes they forgive them.
- Oscar Wilde, "The Picture of Dorian Grey", 1891
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