Stephen Budiansky argues that advances in cryptography have outpaced the ability of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to decrypt communications.

Tom Berson argues that society is rapidly approaching the time when cryptographic operations will be cheap and easy, commonplace and unremarkable which will have profound effects on the ecology of people, systems and information.

Three in four Americans favour tough anti-encryption laws, in the wake of last week's terrorist atrocities, a survey finds. Seventy-two per cent believe anti-encryption laws will be "somewhat" or "very" helpful in combating terrorism, according to the survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates.

US government hopes of curtailing terrorist communications by controlling the use of cryptographic software have been criticised by computer scientists.

John Horvath argues against calls to search the internet for terrorist use of steganography because by invoking the evils of terrorism, the government is able to justify "the loss of privacy and a state of surveillance [society] would otherwise not accept."

The Clinton Administration wants to relax encryption export controls and harmonize privacy standards for electronic communications. In a speech at the National Press Club on Monday, White House Chief of Staff John Podesta announced proposed legislation being sent to Congress that would relax existing export controls on encryption technology.

The author evaluates the effects the government's new encryption regulations are having on the spread of strong cryptography worldwide.