If the Attorney General's understanding of cryptography is as good as his understanding of metadata then we're in for a rough time. The notion that your average terrorist will be off writing their own cutting-edge unbreakable cryptographic software without a specialist higher degree in mathematics, if that's what he's imagining, is risible.
And if a group with the resources of ISIL wants to roll their own I'm quite sure they could do so without being in the least affected by this legislation. However I wonder if it's really directed at quantum computing which is still actively being researched here, for example "Commonwealth Bank invests $5m in quantum computing" dated Dec 2014 at https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-technology/commonwealth-bank-invests-5m-quantum-computing David L. ------- On 2015-05-27 13:32 Paul Brooks wrote: > Tempered somewhat by exemptions: (http://www.defence.gov.au/DECO/DSGL.asp) > --- > > The DSGL contains a number of exemptions that can apply to technology that may > otherwise be controlled. These include technology that is:: > > * 'in the public domain' - if the technology is already available to the > public, for > example, in publications, product brochures and public blogs, websites, > podcasts > or databases, then it is not controlled. This exemption applies to all > software > and technology in the DSGL; > * 'basic scientific research' - any technology which extends only to the > "/fundamental principles of phenomena or observable facts/", and is "/not > primarily directed towards a specific practical aim or objective/", falls > within > the definition of basic scientific research, and would therefore not be > controlled. This exemption applies to all technology listed on the DSGL. > > --- > > So developing a completely new algorithm using 4096 bit keys and teaching > that might > need a permit - but teaching standard Diffie-Hellman key exchange and public > key > encryption isn't, even with 4096bit keys, its already published. _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
