The U.S. and other Western governments have agreed to place export controls on sophisticated surveillance and hacking software and cryptography. The full impact of the agreement won’t be known until there’s a determination of the software and hardware covered. The technology is considered on par with military weapons because it can be used to attack computer systems of national importance, such as those found in government, financial institutions and critical infrastructure. Compliance with the agreement’s agreements is voluntary; compliance with the pact is voluntary. The two missing countries, China and Israel, make the effectiveness of the latest pact questionable, expert says.”]

