From: "James G. Speth" <december@end.end.COM>
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 94 11:17:47 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Whoa, now... (was Re: Digital Cash)
Message-ID: <m0pkWnY-0000eIC@end.end.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Graham Toal <gtoal@an-teallach.com> writes:
>There is a *considerable* difference between kiddy hackers breaking
>game protection, and breaking a cryptographically secure protocol.

It seems to me that Mikolaj Habryn's original posting was taken out of
context.  He made a valid point that so called un-interpretable and
un-alterable algorithms are routinely cracked by elite warez d00dz.  He
never implied that the software crackers were going to render your PGP key
insecure.

In fact, he began this thread by citing someone who was talking about using
an obscured algorithm to prevent digital cash double spending.  (ie. If you
can't get to the algorithm, you can't cheat the system.)  His comments were
on the dangers of relying on this.

Graham Toal <gtoal@an-teallach.com> writes:
>Sure, but what's that got to do with cracking crypto?  If you can't see
>the difference between STO protection schemes and mathematically hard
>algorithms, ...

That's the point.  Mikolaj was _never_ referring to cryptographic security.
He was pointing out how security through obscuring algorithms can never be
considered reliable.

Extinguishing a match with a fire-hose,
  Jim

________________________________________________________________________________
james speth          email for pgp compatible public-key        december@end.com
________________________________________________________________________________
               Have you ever had your phones tapped by the government?  YOU WILL
                              and the company that'll bring it to you...  AT&T