Kerrey bill introduced in Senate

[Greg Broiles <gbroiles@netbox.com>]

Sen. Kerrey's evil "Secure Public Networks Act" was introduced in the
Senate today, cosponsored by Sen. McCain. 

The bill, if passed, would:

Criminalize the knowing use of crypto to encrypt data or communications in
furtherance of a crime; (s. 104)

Criminalize breaking another person's ciphertext for the purpose of
violating their privacy, security, or property rights; (goodbye, Netscape
bugs bounty and DES/RC4 cracks) (s. 105(3))

Criminalize intercepting another's intellectual property for the purpose of
violating intellectual property rights (s. 105(4))

Criminalize issuing a key to another person in furtherance of a crime (s.
105(6))

Require federal government purchasers of crypto equipment to buy GAK
crypto; (s. 202, 204)

Require crypto products purchased with federal funds for use on a public
network to employ GAK crypto; (s. 203, 205)

Legalize the export of 56-bit DES crypto; (s. 302)

Criminalizes the issuance of signature certificates by registered CA's for
encryption keys if the user has not complied with GAK procedures; (s.
407(a)(4))

Criminalizes requesting a signature certificate for an encryption key from
a registered CA if the user has not complied with GAK procedures; (s.
407(a)(5))

Allows the Secretary of Commerce to "make investigations, obtain
information, take sworn testimony, and require reports or the keeping of
records by .. any person", to the extent necessary to enforce the Act; (s.
701(a))

Allows the Secretary of Commerce to subpoena witnesses and documents in any
State at any designated place; (s. 701(b)(3)(A))

Allows the Secretary of Commerce to impose civil/adminstrative penalties of
up to $100K for violations of the Act; (s. 702(1))


Ugh. The original is online at
<http://www.senate.gov/~kerrey/encrypt/encrypt2.html>, mirrored at
<http://www.parrhesia.com/kerrey.html>.




--
Greg Broiles                | US crypto export control policy in a nutshell:
gbroiles@netbox.com         | 
http://www.io.com/~gbroiles | Export jobs, not crypto.