[14591] in Cypherpunks
Re: News Flash: Clipper Bug?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Perry E. Metzger)
Thu Jun 2 14:09:50 1994
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Thu, 02 Jun 1994 08:52:04 EDT."
<94Jun2.135210edt.13307@cannon.ecf.toronto.edu>
Reply-To: perry@imsi.com
Date: Thu, 02 Jun 1994 14:03:48 -0400
From: "Perry E. Metzger" <perry@imsi.com>
SINCLAIR DOUGLAS N says:
> > One thing this shows, even if the application of the technique turns out
> > to be too difficult to be practical, is that Dorothy Denning's evaluation
> > of the design was worthless. That team should have found this themselves.
> > No wonder she was trying to play it down in the NYT.
>
> It was my understanding that Denning was just looking at the Skipjack
> algorithm, and not the clipper unit as a whole. I wouldn't be too quick
> to condemn her on this point.
I'll also note that as embarassing as Matt's discovery is, we must
continue to focus on the inherent flaw in the very concept of EES,
rather than on any particular technical flaw. The number of flaws we
can find with public information is limited, and NSA can always
bullshit congressmen until they give up. Besides, technical flaws can
be repaired. If people oppose the CONCEPT of the EES, then it makes no
difference how well implemented it is.
However, I really have to say, Matt's hack is still NEAT!
Perry
