[92569] in Cypherpunks
Re: New hi-tech dog tags use encryption?... [CNN]
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Rabid Wombat)
Thu Jan 1 00:45:57 1998
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 11:03:00 -0500 (EST)
From: Rabid Wombat <wombat@mcfeely.bsfs.org>
To: Jim Choate <ravage@ssz.com>
cc: Cypherpunks Distributed Remailer <cypherpunks@ssz.com>
In-Reply-To: <199712280543.XAA00435@einstein.ssz.com>
Reply-To: Rabid Wombat <wombat@mcfeely.bsfs.org>
On Sat, 27 Dec 1997, Jim Choate wrote:
> Forwarded message:
>
> > PENTAGON INTRODUCING HIGH-TECH DOG TAGS
>
> > "We have to be very concerned about how we protect the information
> > -- in who's hands would it be, should it be encrypted, could the
> > encryption be broken, what would happen if it ended up in the wrong
> > hands," says Defense Secretary William Cohen.
>
> [text deleted]
>
> > If issues of cost and privacy can be solved, the old metal dog tags
> > seem certain to become just another piece of military history.
>
I doubt the old metal ones will go away - smartcards have an annoying
tendancy to melt when your aircraft suffers traumatic deceleration.
Two competing cards were demo'd at JWID a few years back, so this isn't a
new concept. One way to keep them from losing your vacination records ...
-r.w.
