From: Eric Murray <ericm@lne.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 12:42:38 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Is this snake-oil?
Message-ID: <199704032041.MAA14728@slack.lne.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




I ran across this web page: http://www.da.com/swp.htm.
They claim their 'Cyber-stone' scheme uses a "Pseudo-random
Transposition Cipher" to vary the keys for an underlying
symmetric cipher for each message.  They also claim
to have a patent on changing the keys for each message (which
seems like something on the level of patenting the 'help' key on
a keyboard, or the blinking block cursor.  Sigh).

I ask if it's snake oil because of the use of non-standard terminology
and marketing bullstuff like "A New Way of Encrypting".  However neither
of those are anywhere near proof of uselessness, only an indication
that's "food for thought and grounds for further research".

They claim patents:
5,307,412, "Random Coding Cipher System and Method"
5,335,280, "Random Sum Cipher System and Method"
5,533,128, "Pseudo-Random Transposition Cipher System and Method"

-- 
   Eric Murray  ericm@lne.com  Network security and encryption consulting.
PGP keyid:E03F65E5 fingerprint:50 B0 A2 4C 7D 86 FC 03  92 E8 AC E6 7E 27 29 AF