[1547] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: Nyah, Nyah, I've Got A Secret
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Black Unicorn)
Sat Sep 20 20:41:53 1997
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 1997 19:26:08 -0500
To: Steve Reid <sreid@sea-to-sky.net>, Carl Ellison <cme@cybercash.com>
From: Black Unicorn <unicorn@schloss.li>
Cc: cryptography@c2.net
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.95.970920155115.22459B-100000@alpha.sea-to-sky.
net>
At 04:11 PM 9/20/97 -0700, Steve Reid wrote:
>On Sat, 20 Sep 1997, Carl Ellison wrote:
>> Civilians have had strong cryptography for over 3000 years. That is
>> because we civilians have invented the strongest cryptography during
>> that time. We have used it for encrypting diaries, business messages,
>> procedures for locating buried treasure, love notes, notes between
>> school buddies, ....
>
>The "crypto is normal" argument has been done to death. The people who
>understand it understand it. The people in washington who _should_
>understand it are only listening to the evesdropping agencies, even to
>the point of ignoring the govenment's own NRC report.
>
>> From my one sample (briefing staff who had had the NSA briefing), that
>> closed door testimony included some false statements which would have
>> been refuted if stated in open testimony. I don't know how many other
>> pieces of false information were planted in the heads of Senators and
>> Representatives.
>
>It might be useful to point out that even though the FBI, NSA, et al.
>are government agencies, they are still _special interest groups_. Like
>any special interest group, they think they know what's best for
>everyone, but really only see the world through their own special
>interest "tunnel vision". If the elected officials could be made to
>understand that then maybe the crypto battle could be fought on even
>ground.
What I don't see discussed is the size and impact on industry of key escrow
and the key management costs to government. These are what really will get
legislators attention.
