From: Paul Elliott <paul.elliott@Hrnowl.LoneStar.ORG>
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 1996 20:01:55 +0800
To: unicorn%schloss.li.cypherpunks@toad.com (Black Unicorn) (cypherpunks mailing list)
Subject: Re: So, what crypto legislation (if any) is necessary?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960330141751.22592D-100000@polaris.mindport.net>
Message-ID: <315db2d6.flight@flight.hrnowl.lonestar.org>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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> 
> (d) [which may be a subset of (b)] impose contempt sanctions on the 
> principal until he releases the key to the key.
> 
> 

Yes, but this will alert the principal not to use that key
for future communications. One of the things that the Leahy
bill  provides for is getting of keys without any of the principals
knowing about it. This idea of escrowing encrypted, essentially
frustrates that provision of the Leahy Bill.

All this talk of voluntary key escrow is essentially fatuous.
If Key escrow is truly voluntary then there is nothing to prevent
the person escrowing from doing all of the following:

1) Not labelling the key escrow file as a key escrow file, so
that the escrow agent does not know that he is an key escrow
agent. The escrow agent can be told that he is a data storage
agent -- which in fact he is.

2) Encrypting the keys before handing to the escrow agent,
and only giving the decryption keys to those who are authorized
to break the escrow.

3) Insuring that the escrow agent and those who are authorized
to break the escrow are outside the jurisdiction of any court.

4) Using the crypto technique of secret splitting to split the secret
of the key among multiple escrow agents in difficult to subpoena
countries.
- -- 
Paul Elliott                                  Telephone: 1-713-781-4543
Paul.Elliott@hrnowl.lonestar.org              Address:   3987 South Gessner #224
                                              Houston Texas 77063

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