From: yanek@novavax.nova.edu (Yanek Martinson)
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 18:14:38 PST
To: Doug.Brightwell@Corp.Sun.COM (Doug Brightwell)
Subject: They have to find you first!
In-Reply-To: <9212180154.AA01889@media.Corp.Sun.COM>
Message-ID: <9212180213.AA29897@novavax.nova.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> I would guess that all efforts towards creating secure, encrypted email
> would only cause surveillance groups to focus their efforts more upon
> what's showing up on your screen in plaintext before encryption and

To do that, they need to know who you are and where you are located. They
can't bug everyone.  If a pseudonymous system is used, then it would
be your top priority to make it impossible to connect your pseudonym with
your legal identity.  If you have not already, read Vinge's _True_Names_.

If "they" know who you are and where you are located, many techniques are
available, TEMPEST eavesdropping being only one of them.  Others are
confiscating your equipment, arresting you, threatening you and using you
to track down other people.

So, instead of concentrating on how to shield yourself from surveilannce
once you have been found, concentrate instead on not being found.  You can
maintain a usual identity that you use for normal conversation, but for
anything dangerous use an alternate identity, secure remailers, etc.

You might want SOME shielding, in case "they" take up the practice of
routinely driving up and down the streets looking to randomly find
something (someone) interesting.  

It should be much easier to protect against a casual search.

It may be nearly impossible, and/or useless to protect oneself from a
determined physical attack by a resourceful enemy.

It is much more profitable to prevent the attack.


--
Yanek Martinson    mthvax.cs.miami.edu!safe0!yanek     uunet!medexam!yanek
this address preferred -->> yanek@novavax.nova.edu <<-- this address preferred
Phone (305) 765-6300 daytime   FAX: (305) 765-6708  1321 N 65 Way/Hollywood
      (305) 963-1931 evenings       (305) 981-9812  Florida, 33024-5819

(not in hiding yet :-)