[2570] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: Position escrow (triangulation, cell "remailers")
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Phil Karn)
Thu Apr 23 12:54:23 1998
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:33:29 -0700 (PDT)
From: Phil Karn <karn@qualcomm.com>
To: vermont@gate.net
CC: cypherpunks@toad.com, cryptography@c2.net, karn@qualcomm.com
In-reply-to: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980422021922.136K-100000@oto.gate.net> (message
from Illuminatus Primus on Wed, 22 Apr 1998 02:41:05 -0400 (EDT))
>On cell "remailers": Why resend the cell signal? Why not instead set up a
>generic phone call resender, which could be used by cell users and
>non-users alike? As long as you use the call resender for all of your
>important calls, the feds (and others) will find it very difficult to
>figure out what cell phone ID to triangulate or home phone number to tap
Exactly. And I think this brings the remailing concept full
circle. Wasn't the basic idea invented for telephones way back in
(alcohol) Prohibition days? As I recall, a device called a "cheesebox"
connected two phone lines. When a call came in on one line, it went
back out on the other. You'd place a cheesebox in some third party's
back room, e.g., a restaurant owner who was paid for the privilege and
to keep his mouth shut. If the cops traced a call, it would lead them
to the restaurant owner, who would tip off the bootleggers.
Does anyone have any historical references for these things? I think it
would be fun to see how an earlier age made use of anonymous remailers
based on a much simpler technology.
Phil
