From: jim bell <jimbell@pacifier.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 1996 12:33:51 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: But what about the poor?
Message-ID: <199607030031.RAA12438@mail.pacifier.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 04:55 PM 7/2/96 -0700, Martin Minow wrote:
>Jim Bell wants to get rich running a key escrow business (:-)
>>
>>Oh, but what a business opportunity!  I assume a floppy can hold 1000 keys.
>>Even if I undercut the going rate of $200 per year by a factor of 10, that's
>>a potential income of $20,000 per floppy per year.  A box of 20 floppies on
>>the shelf, and I'm set for life!
>>
>Add in the cost of a bank vault

I'm assuming that the keys are, themselves, encrypted.

> and the ability to provide any key
>to an approved law enforcement agency (i.e., one that provides you with
>a legitimate search warrant for the key) with a 2 hour response time
>(24/7/365).

Easy solution!  Make 'em show up at the front door.  It'd cut down on the 
requests, I'd say...    This would be an excellent way of getting around the 
"response time" requirement:  The time the cops take to actually arrive and 
request the key is THEIR time, not that of the escrow agent.  Locate the 
escrow agent in Encampment, Wyoming, and see how many can find it!


> Also, you will have to take in keys as they are provided.

However, this raises an interesting question:  Can key-escrow agents change 
the terms of their operation to delete such responses (or slow them...) for 
the cops?  Or, for that matter, can they charge the cops an arm and a leg 
for the key?  (Say, $100,000 per?)

Another question:  The cops probably assume that the escrow agent is NOT 
going to inform the key holder that the key has been delivered.  But if the 
stated policy of the escrow agent is that the key owner MUST be informed, 
what are the cops gonna do about it? 

Further, how are the cops going to evidence the existence of a valid 
warrant?  (As opposed to a forgery?)


Jim Bell
jimbell@pacifier.com