FEDERALhearing transcript

Hearing on Cybersecurity and Export Controls

Original title: WASSENAAR: CYBERSECURITY AND EXPORT CONTROLS

January 1, 2017

cybersecurity export controls Wassenaar Arrangement international trade technology policy

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing addresses how federal export regulations affect the ability of cybersecurity researchers and companies to share software tools internationally, which directly impacts the speed of global vulnerability discovery and digital security.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Cybersecurity researchers

Export controls can restrict the ability to share software tools and vulnerability research across international borders.

Technology companies

Companies must comply with federal export regulations when distributing cybersecurity software internationally.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2017.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript record of a joint congressional hearing held on January 12, 2016, regarding the intersection of cybersecurity and international export control agreements. The hearing examined how the —a multilateral export control regime—impacts the regulation of cybersecurity software and tools.

Key Facts

The hearing was held on January 12, 2016, by two House subcommittees.
The primary subject was the impact of the Wassenaar Arrangement on cybersecurity export controls.
The Wassenaar Arrangement is a multilateral agreement governing the export of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies.
Witnesses included officials from the Department of State, Department of Commerce, and the Department of Homeland Security.
The hearing record is identified as Serial No. 114-102 for the Oversight Committee and Serial No. 114-49 for the Homeland Security Committee.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Wassenaar Arrangement?

It is an international agreement among countries to coordinate for conventional weapons and technologies to promote regional and international security.

Why were these committees holding this hearing?

To examine how export control policies affect the cybersecurity industry and the ability of researchers to share information globally.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Cybersecurity as Dual-Use

The hearing highlights the transition of cybersecurity tools from purely commercial software to items categorized as 'dual-use' under international export regimes.

Wassenaar Arrangement

Connected Entities

organizationSubcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies“House Committee on Homeland Security”Map →

organizationSubcommittee on Information Technology“House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform”Map →

personCheri Flynn McGuire“Vice President, Global Government Affairs”Map →

personKevin J. Wolf“Assistant Secretary for Export Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce”Map →

personVann H. Van Diepen“Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonprolifera”Map →

personPhyllis Schneck“Deputy Under Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications, DHS”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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