[LINK] Teaching Encryption Soon to be ILLEGAL w/o a PERMIT

[David Lochrin]

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.

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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.