Hifn Restricts Crypto Docs, OpenBSD Opens Fire

Mhrmnhrm writes "After totally closing off public access to documentation for their chips roughly five years ago, Hifn is again offering them, but with an invasive registration requirement. Needless to say, Theo de Raadt and the rest of the OpenBSD team were not amused, and following a Hifn manager's missive, the gauntlet has been thrown. Either open the docs fully, or be removed from the system. This wouldn't be the first time... the same thing happened to both Adaptec and Intel following similar spats."

Comments

Oh for pity's sake...

[tygerstripes]

Due to lazy moderation and posting, there now appears to be no point in posting anything as a reply, so I'll ask again what I think is a pertinent question as a main post:

How would this violate US Export Licences???

Fine, don't export chips overseas without knowing who you're selling to, but documentation? For driver developers no less?? When Hifn themselves are trying to say that this information is open and free???

This is the key point of Theo's argument, surely: that Hifn are not at all obliged to demand this information, and therefore are going against the principles of open access/source by demanding it. Can someone please explain what I'm missing here.

Re:Export regulations?

[Toy G]

Documentation on how to interface with the hardware chip is NOT covered by export regulations. Only the actual chip, and its design specifications in regard to implemented algorithms, are covered.
Hence, the docs that OpenBSD folks need (and had access to, until a few years ago) are NOT covered.

The choice is between "giving back access to documentation to allow developers to work with your hardware" or "keep track of developers for marketing purposes".
Export regulations enter the picture only if you don't know them.