Encryption technology and its widespread availability via the Internet, contrary to US government security controls, is detailed in a briefing paper recently released by the Cato Institute.
Author Arnold Reinhold (co-author of "The Internet for Dummies Quick Reference" and "E-Mail for Dummies") states that encryption technology is vital to the future of e-commerce and is now almost inevitably used due to its availability through websites, many of which he lists in the paper.
The paper, titled "Strong Cryptography: The Global Tide of Change," can be viewed at http://www.cato.org/pubs/briefs/bp-051es.html.