[11982] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Clipper and Aldrich Ames
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Brad Cox @ GMU/PSOL)
Thu Apr 28 19:41:42 1994
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 17:27:00 -0400
To: com-priv@psi.com
From: bcox@gmu.edu (Brad Cox @ GMU/PSOL)
Cc: bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein)
bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) wrote
>This seems like a weird story, was the data encryption technology to
>be used with Clipper some sort of secret? I don't think so. So what
>could Ames have sold? All the keys? Do they even exist yet? Wouldn't
>simply scrambling (e.g. re-pairing) or generating a new set of keys
>fix this?
I've no facts to add re: what Ames did or didn't steal, only that the
encryption algorithm is of concern to NSA, not just the keys. Given the
encryption algorithm, the chip could be reengineered to omit the key escrow
trapdoor that NSA claims is all that stands between us and anarchy.
Their fears...not mine. Privacy would not be impaired by such an
alternative chip; just big brother's ability to snoop.
>Unless I'm missing something it doesn't make sense. I suppose the
>paranoid side of me says if this story is fundamentally true then
>there was a known, universal trap-door that was revealed. Swell.
--
Brad Cox; Coalition for Electronic Markets
George Mason Program on Social and Organizational Learning
Fairfax VA; bcox@gmu.edu; 703 968 8229 voice 968 8798 fax
