Companies that have announced special Commerce Department permission to export encryption products stronger than the standard 40-bit ciphers or algorithms with third-party key recovery specified under US government policy:
Open Market 13 February: Receives permit to export a 128-bit version of OM-Transact, its Internet-commerce software. The encryption feature is limited to functions needed "to financial parts of transactions from being modified or intercepted by an outside party." The company says no key recovery feature is included.
McAfee 31 March: Announces permit to export 56-bit encryption in desktop-security products.
Gradient Technologies 9 April: Receives authorization to export 56-bit encrytion in its NetCrusader enterprise security framework and other products.
V-One 15 April: Gets permit to export 56-bit version of SmartGate software to enable secure communications over public networks. The permit allows product users to maintain their own keys for data recovery, an exception to third-party key recovery policy. In return, customers are obligated to cooperate with law-enforcement officers seeking the keys.
Netscape 28 April: Announces permit to export 56-bit versions of its software products pending development of voluntary key recovery features over the next two years.
Sybase 21 May: Announces permission to export products using strong encryption. The company says the permit allows overseas sale of 56-bit encrypted products with no key recovery for communications and voluntary key recovery for stored data. No third party would be involved in the key system.
