From: "Perry E. Metzger" <perry@imsi.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 94 04:49:18 PDT
To: baum@newton.apple.com (Allen J. Baum)
Subject: Re: Black eyes heal
In-Reply-To: <9406032354.AA29053@newton.apple.com>
Message-ID: <9406061149.AA07999@snark.imsi.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Allen J. Baum says:
> I have no doubts that the problem that was revealed will be corrected.
> I'm not sure it was a good idea to reveal the weakness. Imagine how much
> worse it would be (in terms of PR) if lots of phones had been deployed
> before the flaw was found?

Enormous investment has already been made. Furthermore, the EES design
has provisions in the processor for only a 128 bit LEAF. Its hardly
clear that they can just "patch" this in a few weeks.

However, I'll note that Matt felt he had an obligation as a scientist
to reveal the flaw and even to state in his paper how to fix it
(although thats more or less obvious -- increase the checksum to 32 or
64 bits.)

> So, there is a small window in which to take advantage of the PR, and the
> delay in revised chip availablility. Unless there are some major defections
> in Congressional support because of this, I don't think much will change;
> Clipper will become a reality.

I doubt that its that cut and dried. Unless they can convince congress
to undertake a major legal change to make a discredited technology
manditory, no one outside the government will use it.

Perry