49. What if I put a cryptographic product like PGP on my notebook computer so that I can communicate with the office securely? What legal trouble will I get into?

You can use the product in the United States without any trouble. Use outside the United States, though, is another matter altogether. Therefore, if you reside outside the United States and plan to put a cryptographic product like PGP on your notebook computer and use it for secure remote communications, it might be prudent to consult your government’s regulations first. If information is to leave your country of origin, there are usually export laws regarding the use of cryptography either in or out of your country. In the United States, the cryptotechnologies that can and cannot be used is regulated by the Department of Commerce. DOC also regulates which countries can do business with U.S. companies. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) helps regulate security issues in the United Kingdom and determines what can and cannot be exported or used outside the country. In France, rules on cryptographic use in communications are extremely strict and in many cases cryptography is not allowed at all unless your company is an approved financial institution. It gets pretty complex country to country.