From: Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 95 03:40:26 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: So, NSA can break 64-bit keys
Message-ID: <199508191040.GAA20763@panix.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


The WSJ article on Clipper II (The Next Day) was the best one.  Particularly
this line:

"Clint Brooks, a technical advisor with the NSA [said] that continued
[64-bit] limits [on key length] were needed because officials were "uneasy"
about the possibility that software could be altered so that the key would
no longer be accessible to law-enforcement officials."

This must mean that the Feds figure that by the time this turkey gets around
to actually flying (sometime well after the Clinton administration), 64-bit
keys will be (are) vulnerable.

I guess this means no source code.  Are there any software encryption
systems that can't be modified after the fact?

DCF

"Course, the source code could be released after key escrow has occured."