re new encryption algorithm in article shockwave win net jhupp shockwave win net jeff hupp writes the nsa s charter forbids them from doing any purely domestic intelligence work i would think that even providing assistance in development of the skipjack algorithom is a violation of that charter but as with any intrenched government agency they will do what they think is expedent there are other laws and directives which bear upon the subject for example the national computer security act of specifically directs nbs sic to work with nsa on developing security standards for civilian federal computers pick up the bill from cpsr org it also includes a report describing it and some of the legislative history including concerns about nsa s involvement note also that nsa is specifically charged with running the national computer security center to quote the aforementioned report nsa also will work with industries at the dod computer security center to develop security standards for private sector use it may or may not be a good idea to have nsa tinkering with this but i m pretty sure it s legal btw when it comes to development of cryptosystems there may be two choices either nsa helped develop it in which case maybe they can crack it maybe not but probably no one else can or nsa didn t help in which case they probably can crack it and maybe others as well
