[116999] in Cypherpunks
Re: [ZKS Press Release] Home Invasion Bill Drives U.S. Computer Users
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jean-Francois Avon)
Wed Aug 25 00:21:50 1999
Message-Id: <199908250406.AAA05454@cti06.citenet.net>
From: "Jean-Francois Avon" <jf_avon@citenet.net>
To: "Cypherpunks" <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 00:01:50 -0400
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Reply-To: "Jean-Francois Avon" <jf_avon@citenet.net>
Well, this raise an interesting point about OTHER crypto-softwares like PGP:
are they _already_ compromised by some vastly diffused bugs (a la Back Orifice
maybe)? Would Network Associates (McAfee) detect the BO trojans that would
compromise PGP?
Interesting parallels could be brought from the offshore assets protection
industry. A good tax haven must be one dedicated to the task. If too much of
it's cash imports comes from tourists or other activities with other
countries, the tax haven govts will be more easily pressured in disclosing
various "confidential" informations about some of their clients to the spooks
(FBI, IRS, etc). OTOH, tax havens which draw little revenues from activities
other than the financial business will have much more to loose if they betray
their customers.
In that perspective, what is the status of Network Associates? Does it have
revenues sources that could directly or indirectly be influenced by the
spooks? Are they suppliers to govts? Are they suppliers to govts partners?
I know I am stretching it a bit here, but I think that for discussion's sake,
I have a valid point.
No doubt that I'll be qualified of cluelessness (or unworthy of a reply for my
occaionnal absences) by many, but I really don't care... :-) Shoot the
explanations! :-)
On Wed, 25 Aug 1999 03:04:46 +0200 (CEST), Anonymous wrote:
>
>> Montreal--Aug. 23, 1999-- A US Justice Department proposal
>> to secretly enter its citizens' homes and disable security
>> features on their computers has driven tens of thousands
>> of Americans to request privacy protection from Canadian
>> privacy firm Zero-Knowledge Systems, the company announced
>> today.
>
>It's understandable that ZKS wants to get some publicity (although it is
>a bit premature when their product is still in beta). But ZKS technology
>will be of no help in response to home invasion wiretaps. In fact ZKS may
>well be one of the reasons why the FBI is pushing for this new authority.
>If they succeed in making encryption and anonymity as easy to use and
>automatic as they claim, this will be a huge setback for eavesdroppers.
>
>The FBI is terrified of commercial crypto vendors who threaten to
>make push-button crypto available to everyone. They are desperately
>looking for some way that they can maintain their Echelon surveillance.
>This latest proposal appears doomed, but we can expect them to be back
>with a more moderate suggestion which they can spin as being responsive
>to concerns of critics.
>
>
