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Restrictions on the import of cryptography
open-in-new
<h2 id="rationale">Rationale</h2> <p>Countries may wish to restrict import of cryptography technologies for a number of reasons: </p> <ul><li>Imported cryptography may have <a href="/facts/Backdoor_(computing)/4Vry8CKE">backdoors</a> or <a href="/facts/Security_Holes/jg0Gr71M">security holes</a> (e.g. the <a href="/facts/FREAK/nzlEFjro">FREAK vulnerability</a>), intentional or not, which allows the country or group who created the backdoor technology, for example the <a href="/facts/National_Security_Agency/Sg6MGV1o">National Security Agency (NSA)</a>, to spy on persons using the imported cryptography; therefore the use of cryptography is restricted to that which the government thinks is safe, or which it develops itself.</li> <li>Citizens can anonymously communicate with each other, preventing any external party from monitoring them.</li> <li>Encrypted transactions may impede external entities to control the conducting of business.</li> <li>Cryptography may sometimes increase levels of privacy within the country beyond what the government wishes.</li></ul> <h2 id="status-by-country">Status by country</h2> <p>The <a href="/facts/Electronic_Privacy_Information_Center/c5ajAU7E">Electronic Privacy Information Center</a> and Global Internet Liberty Campaign reports use a color code to indicate the level of restriction, with the following meanings: </p> <ul><li>Green: No restriction</li> <li>Yellow: License required for importation</li> <li>Red: Total ban</li></ul> <table><tbody><tr><th>Country</th><th>Status</th><th>Updated</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Angola/PQrYRHMd">Angola</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927275">Unknown</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Armenia/t3GQx9sU">Armenia</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927279">Green/Yellow</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Bahrain/ndXdWPhr">Bahrain</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#bh">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Belarus/vweHwgob">Belarus</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#by">Red</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Brunei_Darussalam/dyz9JUn8">Brunei Darussalam</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927291">Yellow/Red</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Cambodia/t1wJd6GU">Cambodia</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927294">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Canada/cWWFM8oc">Canada</a></td><td><a href="https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ecic-ceac.nsf/eng/gv00366.html">Green</a></td><td>2015</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/China/lTjIXY5p">China</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#prc">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Czech_Republic/vJYLD66Q">Czech Republic</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#cr">Green/Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Egypt/8Ttg0JwB">Egypt</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#eg">Yellow</a></td><td>2007</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Ghana/IkUw32Ya">Ghana</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#gh">Green</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Hong_Kong/4nAf3mqQ">Hong Kong</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#hk">Green/Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Hungary/YRedQLtI">Hungary</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#hu">Green/Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/India/1kKHcnxM">India</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#in">Green/Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Iran/24yukge8">Iran</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#iran">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Iraq/pqYSFJw8">Iraq</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927325">Red</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Israel/dEe3IcaY">Israel</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#is">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Kazakhstan/Vfs8NI6e">Kazakhstan</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#ka">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Latvia/y2PSa8lx">Latvia</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#la">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Lithuania/dApVjLWW">Lithuania</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#li">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Malta/FsqM3M37">Malta</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927347">Yellow</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Moldova/qGBNGewt">Moldova</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#mol">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Mongolia/ogQzUcQb">Mongolia</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927353">Red</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Morocco/6ly8170M">Morocco</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#mor">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Myanmar/zcqQH2oE">Myanmar</a> (Burma)</td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#bi">Red</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Nepal/yWCzTBR2">Nepal</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927358">Unknown</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Nicaragua/PsyPGXxm">Nicaragua</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927362">Unknown</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/North_Korea/Q41laakP">North Korea</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#nk">Unknown/Red</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Pakistan/cbIsvJy1">Pakistan</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#pa">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Poland/eXJ7fd0D">Poland</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#po">Green/Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Romania/yolzk5cN">Romania</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#ro">Green</a></td><td>1996 (Wassenaar)</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Russia/jfkCwyxn">Russia</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#ru">Red</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Rwanda/UKR5UdKy">Rwanda</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#hu">Unknown</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Saudi_Arabia/uyUpe1J2">Saudi Arabia</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#sau">Green</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Singapore/CQDkhUvD">Singapore</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#si">Green</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/South_Africa/vvXQpLgq">South Africa</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#sa">Green/Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/South_Korea/pCobAaVw">South Korea</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#sk">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Tunisia/4uC8Po6k">Tunisia</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#tun">Yellow/Red</a></td><td>2008</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Turkmenistan/YqJ4NvjU">Turkmenistan</a></td><td><a href="https://www2.epic.org/reports/crypto2000/countries.html#_Toc477927398">Red</a></td><td>2000</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Ukraine/Qof0uqAj">Ukraine</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#ukr">Yellow</a></td><td>2007</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Vietnam/0ulfA8Eq">Vietnam</a></td><td><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org/cls2.htm#vi">Yellow</a></td><td>2008</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Export_of_cryptography/PkJ5Tc0e">Export of cryptography</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><i><a href="http://www.gilc.org/crypto/crypto-survey.html">Cryptography and Liberty 1998, GILC Report</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="http://www.cryptolaw.org">Crypto-Law survey 2013</a></i></li></ul>