Obama administration softens stance on Wassenaar

The Obama administration is revisiting much-criticised 2013 revisions to the Wassenaar Arrangement that made it look like practically any security software is illegal. The State Department had decided in 2013 that “intrusion software” should be included as one of the “dual use” technologies that needed to be controlled under …

[a_yank_lurker]

Foggy Bottom

Foggy Bottom is aptly named. The Foggies operate in pea soup of their own making and since the vast majority about as clueless as their former boss, Hildabeast, when comes to technology it is not surprising the text was poorly written.

[channel extended]

Pen testing?

So now pen testing even WITH permission will be illegal? Those APT that we keep being warned about will now be breaking the law, Yaaay!!! Management will now have an additional excuse - "Well, we didn't want to violate a treaty" when they fail to protect my data.

[Mark 85]

So the State Department and White House finally got a clue then. Good for them. I sort of doubt that certain other agencies will ever get one, but then again one can hope... and a faint hope at best.

[Anonymous Coward]

Software is banned for use and export...

... but guns are OK?

I think the US are blocking the wrong things.

[Pascal Monett]

Not at all, my good sir. Software makes at best a few billion here and there. Gun exports are in the tens of billions yearly, and the market is always booming.

[Cynical Observer]

Freudian Slip

Initially read that as The market is always bombing

Then figured that we're probably both correct.