From: starrd <starrd@iia2.org>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 95 15:51:30 PDT
To: "William R. Nugent" <wnug@loc.gov>
Subject: Re: opinions on RSA Secure?
In-Reply-To: <199508311318.JAA47267@rs8.loc.gov>
Message-ID: <Pine.BSD.3.91.950831154639.27318A-100000@usr4.primenet.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Thu, 31 Aug 1995, William R. Nugent wrote:

> Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 09:18:18 -0400
> From: William R. Nugent <wnug@loc.gov>
> To: cypherpunks@toad.com
> Subject: opinions on RSA Secure?
> 
> 
> c'punks:
> 
> RSA Secure appears to be a neat commercial package: it loads easily, runs fast, and
> and generates an 80-bit key using Rivest's RC4. It has an "emergency access"
> feature (splittable key escrow) which can, however, be disabled by the user.
> Has anyone checked out the innards? Hoe secure is it in industrial/commercial
> usage?; against the TLAs?; any hidden trapdoors?
> Thanks in advance for your views.

The fact that the key is only 80 is *major* compromise.  I would 
recommend that package to no-one.   With only a 80 bit key you dont 
*need* trapdoors, granted they may be more "convienient" but the fact is 
the 80 key *can* [and certainly will] be broken...

Summary: Don't used it.


Btw, this is not an opposition to RSA, RSA is very good - it is an 
opposition to the length of the key...

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