Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 03:24:08 -0500 From: Mike Meyer <mwm@mired.org> To: chat@freebsd.org Subject: DMCA, the sequel Message-ID: <15271.1192.870999.477376@guru.mired.org>
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I finally sat down and read the text of the SSSCA - the "Security Systems Standards and Certifications Act." <URL: http://cryptome.org/sssca.htm >. This bill takes the next logical step after the DMCA making it illegal to tamper with copyright protection technology, by making it illegal to give people tools that don't include that technology. Specifically, the act makes it: unlawful to manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide or otherwise traffic in any interactive digital device that does not include and utilize certified security technologies Definitions: The term "certified security technology" means a security technology certified by the Secretary of Commerce. The term "interactive digital device" means any machine, device, product, software, or technology, [...] that is designed, marketed or used for the primary purpose of, and that is capable of, storing, retrieving, processing, performing, transmitting, receiving, or copying information in digital form. Oh yeah, the technology must be "available for licensing on reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms." Since FreeBSD is an "interactive digital device" by this definition, that would make it illegal to either offer FreeBSD on a web site in the US, or import it into the US from a web site outisde the US unless it includes that security technology. Given recent history, I wouldn't be comfortable visiting the US if I ran a site outside the use that had made FreeBSD available. The question then becomes - what's the technology going to be? The leading candidate for general computing seems to be TCPA <URL: http://www.trustedpc.org/ >. No licensing information yet. Someone on the TrustedBSD project may want to see about joining. For storage, expect CPRM/CPPM <URL: http://www.4centity.com/tech/cprm/ >. Licensing costs currently start at US$7,500/year. Software developed following this spec almost certainly can't be distributed in source form, and the license includes a requirement for forced updates. To make this more palatable to the public, Title II of this act adds a mishmash of security issues: funding research on network security, training and standards for the security of government, and internet privacy controls. After all, who could be against those things? Bleah, <mike -- Mike Meyer <mwm@mired.org> http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/ Q: How do you make the gods laugh? A: Tell them your plans. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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