To assure that all web browsers provide the greatest level of security,
EasyDocEx, LC utilizes Server Gated Cryptography (SGC). Server Gated
Cryptography provides the ability for a certificate to 'up-rate' older
browsers that are only capable of weak, 40-bit encryption to ultra-secure
256-bit encryption.
Server Gated Cryptography (SGC) was created in response to United States
federal legislation on the export of strong cryptography in the 1990’s. The
legislation had limited encryption to weak algorithms and shorter key
lengths if used in software outside of the United States of America. As the
legislation included an exception for financial transactions, SGC was
created as an extension to SSL, with SGC certificates only issued to
financial organizations.
When an SSL handshake takes place, the software (e.g. a web browser) would
list the ciphers that it supports. Although the weaker exported browsers
would only include weaker ciphers in its SSL handshake, the browser did also
contain stronger cryptography algorithms. To comply with the legislation,
the browser would only renegotiate the handshake to use the stronger ciphers
if the browser detected that the server has an SGC certificate. This
legislation has now been revoked and SGC certificates can now be issued to
any organization.