From: VAMAGUS@delphi.com
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 94 15:42:25 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Breaking the NSA
Message-ID: <01HKDEMI4HUQ91ZPHN@delphi.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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Tony.Gurnick@nzdairy.co.nz wrote:


>If you really want to test NSA.  Encrypt some crypto code
>with pgp in an overseas public key(IE: non-us) then email the
>code to someone out of the us.  This way you will find out 1 of 2
>things.
>       1.  That pgp is unbreakable by the NSA
>          - Rsa with fairly log keys take so much work the nsa
>            cant crack it with huge computers.  This is a good
>            thing
    
    Not that easy. They would just crack the code and *another*
    acronym based agency would come up with a different reason to 
    seize you and your computer. It would seem unrelated to anyone
    but *you* since you would know what you did but would have no 
    way to prove that your original infraction is why you are doin'
    time.  Hope that makes some sense.

>
>          - Idea, even though it is new, is a secure algorithm
>            for the above reasons
>
    Same argument...no one would ever know either way. Until you got 
    out in about 100 years.

>
>          - You wont get in trouble as you are only sending
>            random bits out of the country not code

    If it isn't something *really good* they probably wouldn't come after
    you anyway.     
>
>      2.  PGP is BREAKABLE by the NSA (OUCH!)
>          - You get in deep shit!
>
>
>      or
>
>      3. PGP is breakable by the NSA but they dont tell anyone! (HMMM)

    #3 I can agree with. I don't think that NSA would tip their hand
    and let on to us that they can read our stuff. At least, not directly.

>
>          - Well this would be an interesting one!
>
>          - Since they are the ones that imposed the ITAR rule in the
>           first place (them or the us gov) they have a prob!  If
>            they knew you were exporting crypto because they cracked
>            pgp they could not convict you as that would imply they cracked
>            pgp and they would tell the whole world what they can &
>            cannot crack.  It would be a big bummer for RSA and IDEA
>            but at least we`d know!

    
    One more thing. Don't you think that they subscribe to the Cypherpunk
    list just to see this kind of logic?
    BTW....I ain't one of 'em, and I wouldn't tell if I was.   :)


***************************Frenchie Sends*******************************
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*         As soon as any man says of the affairs of the state          *
*    "What does it matter to me?" the state may be given up for lost.  *
*                 J.J.Rousseau - The Social Contract                   *
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*****************************J. Francois********************************




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