[2174] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Canada is considering GAK
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Anonymous)
Wed Feb 25 11:59:39 1998
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 10:00:32 -0500
From: Anonymous <anon@anon.efga.org>
To: cryptography@c2.net
On an Industry Canada website:
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/crypto
"A Cryptography Policy Framework for Electronic
Commerce: Building Canada's Information
Economy and Society"
published by the Taskforce on Electronic Commerce
Industry Canada
Lawful State Access Considered
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cryptography/engdoc/PART3.HTM#Law
Actually the entire publication reaks of GAK
friendly comments in a bais manner that would make
the FBI proud.
The report contains several mistakes about
cryptography the most notable being misunderstand
of keysizes. It pretends that all algorithms are
equal if the keysize is equal. i.e. RSA-56 ==
DES-56 == ECC-56. And it equates CAs to TTPs as
the UK defines TTPs. They equate key archiving,
key recovery, key encapulation, and key encrow.
No consider is given to weaking of the crypto
systems or abuse of key access. It clearly wants
keys not data. I think even the CSE and CSIS
would be disapprove how much of a police state
it would construct. Nothing of illegal wiretaps
(deny, deny, deny...), forgery of digital
signatures (if CAs hold private-key info), or
the risk of a central repository.
The also allude to non-encrow "gifts" to keep the
banking and financial communities happy and not
complain about a surrvalance state of the general
population while the political old-boys continue
to help each other out in their own tax-dodging.
-Mountie
