Interesting People mailing list archives
IP: dejavu -- Hijackers' e-mails were unencrypted
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 04 Oct 2001 08:23:05 -0400
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2001 16:35:32 -0700 From: Ed Gerck <egerck () nma com> To: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu> Subject: dejavu -- Hijackers' e-mails were unencrypted Dave: With all due respect to the need for IP'ers to vent our fears, may I remind this list that we have all seen this before (that is, governments trying to control crypto), from key-escrow to GAK, and we all know that it will not work -- and for many reasons. A main one IMO is that it is simply impossible to prevent anyone from sending an encrypted message to anyone else except by controlling the receivers and the transmitters (as done in WWII, for example). Since controlling receivers and transmitters is now really impossible, all one can do is control routing and addresses. I suggest this would be a much more efficient way to reduce the misuse of our communication networks. For example, if one email address under surveillance receives email from X, Y and Z, then X, Y and Z will also be added to the surveillance. Even if everything is encrypted, people and computers can be verified. In addition, we also need to avoid to add fuel to that misconception, that encryption is somehow "dangerous" or should be controlled as weapons are. The only function of a weapon is to inflict harm. The only function of encryption is to provide privacy. Cheers, Ed Gerck
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- IP: dejavu -- Hijackers' e-mails were unencrypted David Farber (Oct 04)