WASHINGTON-Five senators last week introduced legislation to change the law governing the export of encryption technology.
Encryption technology is used to scramble computer data. The computer industry has been trying for years to get export controls on encryption technology relaxed, but has met resistance from the FBI and National Security Agency.
The debate over controls on encryption products has been waging since 1996 when the Clinton administration moved encryption-export control policy from the jurisdiction of the State Department to Commerce. This move resulted in an export-control policy that said U.S. computer companies could not export encryption products with bit strengths greater than 56 bits with restrictions and 40 bits without restrictions. These bit strengths are considered weak by the computer industry, which has developed products with bit strengths of at least 128. The Senate bill caps the bit strength at 64.
A different encryption bill has been introduced in the House. Major differences in this bill include no cap on bit strength and a 15-day review process by the Secretary of Commerce.
The Senate bill has an elaborate process with review by an encryption-export advisory board. After that, the Commerce Secretary must respond within 15 days.
