[2007] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: secret history of the development of PK crypto
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mike Rosing)
Thu Dec 25 02:30:16 1997
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 1997 22:35:52 -0600 (CST)
From: Mike Rosing <cryptech@Mcs.Net>
To: Rick Smith <smith@securecomputing.com>
cc: cryptography@c2.net
In-Reply-To: <v03007801b0c6f51030a6@[172.17.1.150]>
On Wed, 24 Dec 1997, Rick Smith wrote:
> The nice thing is that the key doesn't have to be stored in the device, and
> without the key you can't operate the device -- all you have is fissile
> material, some shaped charges, and a lot of random elecronics. Careless
> handling is more likely to kill intruders with radiation than it is to
> yield a big boom.
No, most fissile material is only an alpha emitter, you can handle it
with gloves. If I was faced with such a complex detonator, I'd build my
own from the fissile material.
> Steve Bellovin's point about using PK for non-repudiation is interesting.
> One wonders if there's then a dictionary of public keys to cover a variety
> of authorization authorities. Or perhaps that would be over-engineering.
It would be nice to know if we really were that civilized.
Patience, persistence, truth,
Dr. mike
