From: jya@pipeline.com (John Young)
Date: Sat, 24 Aug 1996 11:29:49 -0700 (PDT)
To: isi@hooked.net
Subject: Re: CyberTerrorism
Message-ID: <199608241141.LAA08906@pipe4.t2.usa.pipeline.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Aug 23, 1996 18:34:42, '"Institute for Security and Intelligence"
<isi@hooked.net>' wrote: 
 
 
>John: 
> 
>Your message regarding my comments on CyberTerrorism was forwarded to me. 
 
>Rather than waxing poetic beration, how about some actually useful  
>perspective? 
> 
>If you have experience in this area, let's talk.  If you have something to
 
>contribute, let's get it out where it can be useful.   
> 
>It's time to put up, or shut up John. 
> 
>Regards, 
>Barry C. Collin 
 
--------- 
 
   Dear Mr. Collin, 
 
   Thank you for writing. And for the cyber-terrorism hoot, 
   which helps purge ignorant fears with insightful 
   laughter. 
 
   The best way I know for citizens to ease their induced- 
   panic of terrorism in all forms -- gov, com, edu, org -- 
   is to become more informed. And to be wary of "terrorist 
   threats" in all their burgeoning guises -- "national 
   security" being one of the most deceitful. 
 
   To counter Nat Sec snake oil in the rising commerce in 
   "cyber-terrorism" (a residue of the natsec oil tank) 
   citizens should participate in the wit and wisdom of 
   wide-open Internet mail-lists dealing with computer 
   privacy and security. 
 
   The best of these is the list Cypherpunks. (E-mail "info" 
   to majordomo@toad.com.) 
 
   Cypherpunks, far more tolerant and less treacherously 
   commercially self-serving than all others, explores an 
   amazing range of CompSec issues, technologies, policies, 
   strategies and fantasies. Its archive of several years 
   offers a historical treasure on the transformation of 
   state control of comp tech to its service of the 
   citizenry. 
 
   This is exemplified by Cypherpunks primary focus, 
   cryptography, and the diverse ways it has moved from 
   narrow use to conceal privileged power to widespread 
   application to protect individual privacy (especially 
   those dissenting to heirarchical authority -- gov, com, 
   edu, org). 
 
   Your agent provocateurist comedy on cyber-terrorist 
   inebriation could be enriched by hanging on Cypherpunks, 
   say, your buffoonery for secret briefing. "If you knew 
   what I knew" is a natsec-butt joke there, as it is 
   becoming globally to liberated citizen-units bellowing 
   "FA." 
 
   Congrats on exposing TLA-dementia of cyber-terrorism and 
   defanging its counter-agents by encouraging belly- 
   laughing at the all-too-blatant hype-artistry. Only Jim 
   Kallstrom does it better. 
 
   Best regards, 
 
   jya