RFC 1984 (rfc1984) - Page 1 of 5


IAB and IESG Statement on Cryptographic Technology and the Internet



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



Network Working Group                                                IAB
Request for Comments: 1984                                          IESG
Category: Informational                                      August 1996


  IAB and IESG Statement on Cryptographic Technology and the Internet

Status of This Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  This memo
   does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of
   this memo is unlimited.

Copyright

   (C) Internet Society 1996.  Reproduction or translation of the
   complete document, but not of extracts, including this notice, is
   freely permitted.

July 24, 1996

   The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) and the Internet Engineering
   Steering Group (IESG), the bodies which oversee architecture and
   standards for the Internet, are concerned by the need for increased
   protection of international commercial transactions on the Internet,
   and by the need to offer all Internet users an adequate degree of
   privacy.

   Security mechanisms being developed in the Internet Engineering Task
   Force to meet these needs require and depend on the international use
   of adequate cryptographic technology.  Ready access to such
   technology is therefore a key factor in the future growth of the
   Internet as a motor for international commerce and communication.

   The IAB and IESG are therefore disturbed to note that various
   governments have actual or proposed policies on access to
   cryptographic technology that either:

   (a) impose restrictions by implementing export controls; and/or

   (b) restrict commercial and private users to weak and inadequate
       mechanisms such as short cryptographic keys; and/or

   (c) mandate that private decryption keys should be in the hands of
       the government or of some other third party; and/or

   (d) prohibit the use of cryptology entirely, or permit it only to
       specially authorized organizations.



IAB & IESG                   Informational