From: nobody@REPLAY.COM (Anonymous)
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 17:20:40 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Netscape gives in to key escrow
Message-ID: <199511300850.JAA13876@utopia.hacktic.nl>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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At 11/30/95 3:07 AM, Futplex quoted:

>> http://www.cnet.com/Central/News/govt.html
 ...
>---------------------------------------------
 ...
> said Clark. He added that an invincible security system for the Net is 
> possible, but such a system won't be built unless the government has a stake 
> in it. "That's where key escrow comes in," said Clark. 
>---------------------------------------------

      "A stake in its heart," more like.

Futplex then wrote:

 ...
>Netscape's web pages. I hope they will at least have the courage to put out a
>"We Support Clipper II" press release. Now the question is, how much of a
>role does Netscape Communications intend to play in implementing GAK, and
>what can we do to counter it ?

      Well, spamming the sign won't do.

      Aleph One's suggestion -- an NS-hack or "virus" -- doesn't make any
sense: if Perry or someone would vet a hacked copy, I'd use it in a
second. But hacking it would involve a violation of the license, so hacked
versions couldn't be offered in any above-ground way: there'd be no way to
certify a hacked copy with a trusted nym's key.
      Netscape is between a rock and a hard place: I think it's safe to
say that, were all things equal, NS would support strong crypto. The fact
that NS has decided otherwise suggests that some pressure was applied:
Clark says as much. This leads me to believe that one possibly effective
(and possibly dangerous) tactic might lie in a seriously sustained attack
on NS's reputation -- keeping up a meme-drumbeat of "you can't trust
Netscape, that's all, you'll get ripped off." I think we should try it --
TODAY, now, persistently and loudly, until NS comes around. I'm not saying
that this'll be enough, but it's a start. TODAY. And I really don't care
what it takes: calling cronies in the press, spreading innuendo, redoing
NS icon sets so there's a spy from "Spy Versus Spy" loitering behind the
N... I've seen some nice "NO Netscape" tags on GNU-related pages. Let's do
it.


Hieronymous
FB DD B5 C8 FB F4 52 41  F0 0F A0 6E 99 43 75 06
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