From: Jon Lasser <jlasser@rwd.goucher.edu>
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 95 23:19:09 PDT
To: Matt Blaze <mab@crypto.com>
Subject: Re: "S1" encryption system (was: this looked like it might be interesting)
In-Reply-To: <199508100000.UAA07792@crypto.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.950810012027.18054B-100000@rwd.goucher.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Wed, 9 Aug 1995, Matt Blaze wrote:

> I don't know what to believe.  If this is a real, classified cryptosystem,
> it would be a very unusual first.  On the other hand, if this is a hoax,
> whoever did it appears to have gone to some trouble, and has included some
> interesting design features.  A third possibility, if we are to believe
> the spook markings, is that it is a re-implementation of someone else's
> cryptosystem, created for the purpose of cryptanlysis.

Two other possibilities: (1) It's merely an independently produced 
cryptosystem disguised as a "leak" to save its creator the trouble of 
asking experts to analyze it for him/her.  (2) It's a misleading / 
intentionally "wrong" version of something, "leaked" by a government 
official of whatever ilk to precipitate a legal investigation of 
Cypherpunks, remailers, etc.  (ie to show a judge to get wiretaps, etc.)

I'm skeptical of (2), but it occured to me, and one can't be too safe...

Jon
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon Lasser                <jlasser@rwd.goucher.edu>            (410) 494-3253 
          Visit my home page at http://www.goucher.edu/~jlasser/
  You have a friend at the NSA: Big Brother is watching. Finger for PGP key.