Commercial Key Escrow as Prerequisite to 64 bit Export

[koontz@netapp.com (Dave Koontz)]

SIGNAL, March 1996, page 9:

U.S Allows Firewall Export

  The U.S. government has approved a 56-bit data encryption standard
(DES) encrypted firewall for export.  The device could create a global
virtual private network by encrypting the Internet protocol layer of the
communications stream among firewalls.
  The system's manufacturer has obtained permission to exports its 56-
bit, DES-encrypted firewall by incorporating a proprietary commercial
key escrow recovery technology into the firewall.  The U.S. govern-
ment will allow the export of cryptographic products with key lengths
of up to 64 bits, provided that a capability allows emergency access to
encryption keys for law enforcement and national security reasons.
  Terms of the export license require the manufacturer, Trusted
Information Systems, Incorporated, Glenwood, Maryland, to maintain a
commercial key escrow data recovery center in the United STates.

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1) Is there a market for products overseas that the U.S. government
   can peer through?

2) Will we ever hear what constitutes a demand for disclosure of keys
   for "national security reasons"?

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