Gentoo Archives: gentoo-dev

From: Ryan Phillips <rphillips@g.o>
To: gentoo-dev@g.o
Subject: [gentoo-dev] Encryption Export
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2002 20:50:09
Message-Id: 1019094603.6249.50.camel@trolocsis
1 Hi guys,
2
3 I'm currently helping the gentoo team work out some issues with export
4 controls of strong encryption software. Currently, Gentoo is being
5 developed mostly in the United States, and downloaded all over the
6 world, thus the reason of this mail.
7
8 Gentoo provides ebuilds, source archives, and binaries for openssl,
9 gpg, and many other high-encryption packages off of its own website and
10 mirrors. I'm drafting a letter to the Bureau of Export Administration
11 right at the moment, but I need to propose a couple (very minor!)
12 changes to the portage system.
13
14 There should be a USE variable named 'agree-to-crypto', (the name
15 doesn't matter). The purpose is to verify the user has read the export
16 license, in this case:
17
18 ------------------
19
20 PLEASE REMEMBER THAT EXPORT/IMPORT AND/OR USE OF STRONG CRYPTOGRAPHY
21 SOFTWARE, PROVIDING CRYPTOGRAPHY HOOKS OR EVEN JUST COMMUNICATING
22 TECHNICAL DETAILS ABOUT CRYPTOGRAPHY SOFTWARE IS ILLEGAL IN SOME PARTS
23 OF THE WORLD. SO, WHEN YOU IMPORT THIS PACKAGE TO YOUR COUNTRY, RE-
24 DISTRIBUTE IT FROM THERE OR EVEN JUST EMAIL TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS OR
25 EVEN SOURCE PATCHES TO THE AUTHOR OR OTHER PEOPLE YOU ARE STRONGLY
26 ADVISED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO ANY EXPORT/IMPORT AND/OR USE LAWS
27 WHICH APPLY TO YOU. THE AUTHORS OF GENTOO ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY
28 VIOLATIONS YOU MAKE HERE. SO BE CAREFULLY YOURSELF, IT IS YOUR
29 RESPONSIBILITY.
30
31 If you agree to this license, and would like to enable high-grade
32 encryption then place the variable 'agree-to-crypto' in your USE
33 variable in /etc/make.conf
34
35 -----------------
36 Note: (Possible License, and could change)
37
38 If this variable is not set, then the ebuilds affected should resort to
39 building openssh/openssl/etc with export grade encryption.
40
41 In addition, I propose the RESTRICT variable for ebuilds. This would
42 make source archives not be mirrored on the gentoo/ibiblio site, and
43 it's mirrors.
44
45 Onto the subject of binary CDs. There should probably be two sets of
46 binary CDs: one with high encryption, and one with export grade. To
47 download the high encryption ISO, the website could ask the user if they
48 agreed to the export license, or under FTP the license could be stored
49 as a .message. A more simpler solution is to take out openssl/openssh
50 altogether, since they are relatively small downloads.
51
52 I believe this is a wise course of action.
53 Any comments? additions? subtractions?
54
55 Best regards,
56 Ryan Phillips
57 rphillips at gentoo.org
58
59 [Note: I am not a lawyer, and this should not be considered legal
60 advice.]

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Replies

Subject Author
Re: [gentoo-dev] Encryption Export "Preston A. Elder" <prez@××××.net>