From: kipp@warp.mcom.com (Kipp E.B. Hickman)
Date: Tue, 13 Dec 94 10:36:36 PST
To: avi@clas.ufl.edu
Subject: Re: the netscape/ssl controversy
Message-ID: <9412131834.AA18515@warp.mcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



In article <199412131448.JAA07613@cutter.clas.ufl.edu>, you write:
> have to get my two cents in:
> 
> netscape has a proposal that secures the *transport* of files. pgp and
> the like secure the actual files themselves. the question that will
> have to be answered is "which method of security is more valuable to
> the internet as a whole?"
> 
> of course i have made up my mind, but i'll waste some space and share
> those thoughts here. 
> 
> ...much elided...
> 
> so while ssl may well be a wonderful protocol, it does not address the
> problems that many cypherpunks see as being real. i think it would do
> netscape good to listen to and consider the views of many on this
> list, as they have many genuinely good ideas, even if they choose a
> confrontational manner. 

My personal opinion is that using MIME encoded documents with embedded
security information including digital signatures combined with SSL or
other trasport layer security, will be a reasonable solution.

Please check out:
	ftp://ds.internic.net/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-pem-sigenc-02.txt
and
	ftp://ds.internic.net/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-pem-mime-07.txt

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Kipp E.B. Hickman          Netscape Communications Corp.
kipp@mcom.com              http://www.mcom.com/people/kipp/index.html