Crypto Wars < Deluxe – 2026 >

: Programmer Phil Zimmermann was investigated for "arms trafficking" after his Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) software was distributed internationally.

: The Clinton administration proposed the Clipper Chip , a microchip for phones that would use a "key escrow" system to give the government a "backdoor" to communications. Crypto Wars

: The Clipper Chip failed due to public outcry and a critical security vulnerability discovered by researcher Matt Blaze in 1994. By 1999, the U.S. removed most retail export restrictions. 2. Phase 2: The Device & Messaging Era (2010s–2020s) : Programmer Phil Zimmermann was investigated for "arms