Interesting People mailing list archives
I{: Re: anyone know whats going on? (off or on record)
From: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 17:31:37 -0500
Dave, I suspect this is what H-P is calling their ICF (for `international cryptography framework') product. I mentioned it briefly in Business Week's cryptography story in the Nov. 18 issue (p. 88). Here's how one H-P exec described it to me (albeit in less than eloquent terms): The ICF product "would fit into a PC or server as a card or a unit. The idea is that the encryption is all in there, integrated into the unit, but it's not functional until you have a `policy card.'" The policy card "can be inserted to activate whatever combination or level of encryption that the policy card been programmed to allow the user to activate." Without a policy card, the default capability of the system, he adds, "would be either key recovery or 40 bit key length cryptography," so that the whole thing would be readily exportable under the new Administration policy. "If the customer wants more, he would get an export license for stronger policy card." Or the added capability could be turned on by downloading software. What's more, "the policy card has enough intelligence so that the encryption capability could be changed for particular applications." "This product reflects the fact we trying to cope with current U.S. policy and policies worldwide that are not consistent with U.S. policy," says the H-P official. "The product design also reflects the realization that policy will change over time and we need a design that can react quickly. So when government policy changes, we can upgrade quickly." In any case, our story quotes vice president and general manager of the ICF effort, Rick Sevcik, as saying that H-P believes the new product offers a solution to the whole export control controversy. Regards, john carey business week
Current thread:
- I{: Re: anyone know whats going on? (off or on record) Dave Farber (Nov 15)