From: uri@watson.ibm.com
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 09:30:02 PDT
To: jwarren@autodesk.com (Jim Warren)
Subject: Re: more details from Denning
In-Reply-To: <9304211652.AA24148@megalon.YP.acad>
Message-ID: <9304221629.AA14269@buoy.watson.ibm.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Jim Warren says:
> And, a coupla tidbits about Dorothy:  I have known her for several years,
> worked closely with her on creating the first Computers, Freedom & Privacy
> conference in 1991, have absolutely the *highest* regard for her integrity,
> honesty and candor -- and absolutely trust what she says ...
> about a subject on which we may disagree.
>   Dorothy Denning is an honorable person with great personal integrity, and
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^      ^^^^^          ^^^^^^^^^
    I don't see it from her actions.
> I urge that she be treated as such -- even in disagreement.
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ no objective reasons, your words only.

I disagree with your conclusions and believe, that your high
esteem of her is rather subjective.  But this is way off the
topic of this list. Now:

>         No single person or authority should have the power to
>         authorize wiretaps
> No single person does, at least for FBI taps.  After completing a mound
> of paperwork, an agent must get the approval of several people on a chain
> that includes FBI legal counsel before the request is even taken to the
> Attorney General for final approval.
> Dorothy Denning

Don't you just love that "must get approval"... Fine, but what if
that agent just happens to have a key or two left over from
previous tap? And another one is willing to trade him
the key he wants now, for one of those other ones?
How on Earth is this going to be detected?

Once the key (Unit Key) is released -  there's no force in the
Universe to make it un-released again! From now on, everything
encrypted with this chip is essentially clear -  AND THIS WILL
ENDANGER EVERYBODY TALKING TO THIS CHIP, no matter whether YOU
have YOUR key "released" or not...

Besides, isn't the described "authorized" tapping procedure
the same good old one in use today?   How come it doesn't
stop illegal wiretaps? [I guess, people break laws?! :-]
--
Regards,
Uri         uri@watson.ibm.com      scifi!angmar!uri 	N2RIU
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<Disclamer>


From cypherpunks-request  Thu Apr 22 11:57:15 1993