Bugtraq: I know some of the recent issues surrounding certain laws (DMCA) and copyright "enhancements" are a departure from certain pretenses of this list. However, as you probably already have found they are very relevant to our field and may even begin influencing our work. There is a new draft Bill created by Senator Hollings (SC) which would require "certified security technologies" approved by the federal government in all new "interactive digital devices." Of course this is all being done under the pretense of protecting companies from piracy, etc. The draft Bill is being called The Security Systems Standards and Certification Act (SSSCA) Here are some quotes of the exact verbage (quoted under fair use): SEC. 101. PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN DEVICES (a) IN GENERAL.--It is 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 that adhere to the security systems standards adopted under section 104. ... SEC. 102. PRESERVATION OF THE INTEGRITY OF SECURITY. An interactive computer service shall store and transmit with integrity any security measure associated with certified security technologies that is used in connection with copyrighted material or other protected content such service transmits or stores. As a bugtraq reader I'm sure you can understand the implications of this type of law. Your PC has become a copyright enforcement tool and these provisions above may have implications for Open Source development activities. The bill itself can be reviewed here: http://cryptome.org/sssca.htm More information can be found here: http://216.110.42.179/docs/hollings.090701.html http://www.anti-dmca.org Thanks, Jon ________________________________ Mathematicians speak in Symbols. Deaf people speak with their Hands. Programmers speak in Code.
