[Cryptography] Statement from Attorney General William P., Barr on Introduction of Lawful Access Bill in Senate

[Sid Spry]

On Thu, Jul 2, 2020, at 8:56 AM, Henry Baker wrote:
> At 05:40 PM 7/1/2020, Bill Frantz wrote:
> >On 7/1/20 at 11:12 AM, phill at hallambaker.com (Phillip Hallam-Baker) wrote:
> >>The prohibition on use of 'codes' in ham radio probably comes from the same
> >>commercial concerns. Though by that time the anti-trust movement was
> >>getting going and they might have needed to conceal their true motives.
> >
> >There isn't a prohibition on using codes in ham radio. The prohibition is on trying to conceal the meaning of a transmission. Hams use many codes, the "Q" codes are very common. Their meaning is listed in may places, so they are like the Uniform Commercial Code before/during WW2.
> >
> >Spread spectrum is permitted, if the spreading codes are published. Different digital encodings are permitted, if encoding is published. etc.
> 
> Hmmm...
> 
> What about HTTPS/TLS/TCPIP over ham radio bands?
> 

I'm unable to provide a direct citation but his outline of the wording is correct,
they are disallowed because they are effective encryption. If you published the
keys close to the time you began transmitting you *might* be able to try to skirt
by on a technicality but the intent of the law would be against you.

But you *can* transmit some attestation of message integrity.

The rationale he gives may or may not be right -- from memory it's not explained in
the text of the law.