From: nelson@crynwr.com (Russell Nelson)
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 95 06:30:56 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: WARNING: sting via remailer!
In-Reply-To: <199512051355.HAA12202@alpha.jpunix.com>
Message-ID: <m0tMyPa-000G3cC@ns.crynwr.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


[ I see that the original has been forwarded to cypherpunks, so I'll
  also send my response there. -russ ]

Boffo writes:
 > 	I was in the federal building coffee shop in Reston, Va. yesterday
 > when I overheard a conversation between what appeared to be two FBI agents
 > discussing a sting operation involving Mixmaster. Hearing the word
 > "mixmaster" naturally caused my ears to perk up and I listened further. 
 > 
 > 	It appears that the FBI has coerced a mixmaster remailer operator
 > into cooperating with them in a sting operation to catch remailers when
 > they forward email pertaining to pornography, pedophilia, and copy-written
 > software. 

Uh-oh!  I'd better shut down my remailer, but fast, based on an
unsubstantiated rumor.  Especially one that makes little sense.  Why
do you need a sting?  All you have to do is use a single remailer, and
send the mail from yourself, to yourself.  You know the source,
destination, and who handled it.  IF a court can be convinced that
forwarding email containing illegal materials is the same as asking to
receive email containing illegal materials, then ALL of our butts are
toast.

 > 	My questions are a) is it possible to perform this type of
 > monitoring on a mixmaster remailer and, b) what is the identity of the
 > cooperating remailer operator? 
 > 
 > 	This concerns me greatly as I use remailers to privatize my
 > important email regularly and I don't want my identity or my email
 > compromised because of a "spook in cypherpunks clothing".

You fool.  If you use remailers regularly, then YOU ARE KNOWN TO THE
SPOOKS.  Face facts.  We know that the FBI spends a minimum of
$10,000,000 each year (count the wiretaps, multiply by agents and do
the math) just for telephone wiretaps.  Computer wiretaps are a LOT
CHEAPER.

-russ <nelson@crynwr.com>    http://www.crynwr.com/~nelson
Crynwr Software   | Crynwr Software sells packet driver support | PGP ok
11 Grant St.      | +1 315 268 1925 voice | Flushing, NY.  Not just a suburb,
Potsdam, NY 13676 | +1 315 268 9201 FAX   | it's a good idea in general.