US likely to scale back planned limits on intrusion-software exports

Overzealous: The US is so worried about the export of software that could break into computers and smartphones that it has even targeted standard tools used to test electronic security. Photo: AFP Relaxnews

SAN FRANCISCO: The US Department of Commerce said it will revise regulations intended to restrict the export of software that can used to break into computers and smartphones. 

An initial draft of the regulations, published in May, attracted hundreds of comments, many of them complaints that the rules were so broad as to bar the easy sale of standard tools used to test electronic security.