From: phelix@vallnet.com
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 1997 15:30:30 +0800
To: cypherpunks@Algebra.COM
Subject: Re: The great GAK crack (making GAK economically impossible) (fwd)
Message-ID: <3428b7ef.7697050@128.2.84.191>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



 I believe that any denial-of-service attack will simply drive up the costs
of licensing encryption programs and keys to the point that only
corporations will be able to afford to release encryption products and
purchase keys (in bulk).  Remember, we have to pay them for the privelidge
(not right) of communicating "securely".

PS.  By licensing, I mean whatever process you'll have to go through to get
your crypto product approved for use domestically; much like what was tried
with the rating of video games.

Also, I haven't see much talk lately on how GAK will totally destroy
anonymity (not to mention the ability of any TLA to destroy your identity
simply by revoking your public keys).  Once GAK is approved, expect to see
encryption/signing pop up everywhere.  And since every key must be
registered and key sharing/trading/selling will be illegal ("Today, 7
hackers were busted in the internet's largest Key Laundering operation to
date.  Film at 11."), every single encrypted/signed communication can not
only be decrypted, but also traced back to you (Remailers are not secure in
a GAK world).  GAK is a big step toward an Internet Driver's License.

The FBI doesn't want to read encrypted documents; they want to read YOUR
encrypted documents.

-- Phelix