I{: Re: anyone know whats going on? (off or on record)

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

     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