Although EAR Compliance has been around for quite some time now, IT security has just begun to become a major tenant it’s requirements. One of the most important components to understand, in respect to EAR Compliance, is what exactly classifies as EAR regulated items or “Deemed Exports”. The definitions have always been a tad difficult to understand. On a basic level, “deemed exports” are any goods that could function in both a consumer, and military environment. There are several categories as defined in the “Commerce Control List” (CCL) that can give one a starting point in classifying goods. However, as data and information in hard drives has become common place in business, the data surrounding the exports themselves have also become EAR Sensitive and are must be treated with the same precautions that one would take in handling tangible items that are “Deemed Exports”. This data is referred to as Technical Data and can include anything from user manuals to assembly instructions.
