From: stopak@orionsci.com (Noam Stopak)
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 95 10:33:19 PDT
To: rross@sci.dixie.edu (Russell Ross)
Subject: patented vs secret (was Re: RC4)
In-Reply-To: <v01520d05ac3c5174f88c@[144.38.16.209]>
Message-ID: <9507271733.AA05542@orionsci.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


> 
> By the way, since RSA is such a vocal opponent of the Clipper chip on the
> grounds of its secret Skipjack algorithm, why does it market secret
> algorithms like RC4 and RC2?  Does this seen like a double face to anyone
> else?
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> Russell Ross                     email: rross@sci.dixie.edu
> 1260 N 1280 W                    voice: (801)628-8146
> St. George, UT 84770-4953

Patented does not equal secret.  The argument against Clipper (at least one 
of them ;-), is that it has not been subjected to review outside of the NSA.

I believe the code for RC4 and RC2 is accessible and has been subjected to
review by many in the crypto field - you just can't use it legally without 
a license.

Noam