December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

Re: Why I Don't Read SF Much Anymore
by Sean Roach 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 11:00 PM 11/20/96 -0500, Robert Hettinga wrote: >At 9:09 pm -0500 11/20/96, Hal Finney wrote: >>What fiction can people recommend which presents crypto/privacy issues >>realistically? How about this new book that Neal Stephenson is working >>on, does anyone know what it's about? His short story, "Hack the Spew", >>a few months ago (in Wired, I think?) had a strong crypto flavor. > >His, "Great Samolean Caper" for Time/Pathfinder was pure cryptoanarchy... > >I don't know if it's still around though. > I saved the whole magazine, I can copy it for you if you like. I thought that I had the magazine in the dorm room but I can't seem to find it.

3 3

Re: Does John Gilmore EAT Asshole?
by Sean Roach 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

This aga nut is getting to be a real pain in the... Well lets say that he is one hellish proctologist. I am very tempted to send this nut a few copies of the netscape 1.0 executable. Worthless and fairly bulky. AND I would be a citizen taking action. When Mr. Gilmore took action, he was lambasted for his troubles. Mr. Gilmore, however, had the misfortune of holding a position of percieved power, I don't. I assume that aga will not see this as he doesn't follow the list.

1 0

Re: Mass-market crypto phones
by Sean Roach 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 09:10 AM 11/21/96 -0500, Clay Olbon II wrote: >A while back, Eric Blossom posted a URL for a mass-market, phone encyrption >device (http://www.comsec.com/) The point of this post is to posit a >scenario based on the implications of this product. This is speculation >based on where I think such products should be heading. > >I think we need to keep a couple of goals in mind. The first, is to get >encrypting phones (or phone add-ons) into Wal-mart, K-mart, etc (where >probably most Americans now buy their phones). The prices need to be low >enough that people will want to buy them (<$100?). Is this technically >feasible? The comsec device from the above URL already demonstrates the >needed capability. Is the cost target possible? My guess is soon, given >the lowering costs and increasing capabilities of current processors. > >The second goal needs to be to push a similar product for cell-phones. I >think this will be perhaps an easier sell, given the higher initial cost for >these phones, and their reduced security. Perhaps a home device could be >sold with the cell-phone as a package deal, so that communications with the >"home base" (i.e your office, home, etc) would be secure. With the rapid >growth in cell-phone sales, selling a package such as this might ensure a >larger user-base of home devices. > >Given that these goals are met, I think widespread use of crypto over phone >lines would become almost inevitable. However, the fun part would be the >introduction of such products. The FUD coming from police, the government, >etc. would be amazing to behold. > At first this seemed to be a challenging goal as public key encryption (at least the type of which I am aware) requires a public key ring, but then I thought, what would be the point in real time communitation? Here is my idea. The initiating phone sends a public key to the receiving phone. The receiving phone takes this public key and uses it to prepare the session key, or perhaps both session keys (one key for each simples circuit), as in PGP. Both boxes would need to have hybrid circuits in them like the telephone company uses to filter out the incoming signal from the outgoing signal. The telephone amplifiers only amplify half of the signal, so it basically consists of two simplex circuits from the local trunk to the other trunks. This could be bypassed if the device set between the base and the handset. Best would be to have the hybrid circuit so that it could work with the more basic models. I can only see two problems. The first problem I can see right now would be randomization, (line noise sampling?, hold the microphone close to a radio playing static until the LED starts flashing?) The second challenge would be getting public key encryption to work with an analog system. The device will have to have two analog to digital converters and two digital to analog converters. I believe that the telephone operates with a carrier of about 3000 Hz, thus the box will probably need to maintain a sampling rate of 1500 Hz or less, if this frequency will carry voice. The system will probably need some form of run-time compression built in as well as sample voice at a low bit depth. The result, under ideal circumstances will probably be a tinny sound and loss of fidelity. The D-A, A-D pair on the telco side could be replaced by a good modem, this would eliminate some of the problems of the RBOC filters cutting out the "noise" which would really be signal. If you set the sampleing rate at 3000 cycles per second, by 8 bits of depth, you would need to be able to transmit clearly 3000 * 8 bits per second or 24000 bits per second. That would be 24 KiloBITS per second, about 1/8th the 28.8 KiloBYTE modems that are commond today. A 3000 baud modem should be both cheap and easy to pack into a small package. This would probably allow for no compression at 8 bits of sampling depth. So, the block diagram would be as follows. ________________ _______________ ___________ | | | --> | | --> | | Line to | Line from RBOC | 3000+ Baud |-----| Public Key |-----|A-D /D-A | Telephone | ----------------| Full Duplex | | Encryption | | Pair |-------------- | <---> | Modem |-----| Layer |-----| | <---> | |______________| <-- |_____________| <-- |_________| | I was thinking that the device could be built into a case about the same size as a modem or answering machine, possibly a little taller to accomidate the modem circuit, should a full duplex modem replace the telco end A-D, D-A pair. Unfortunately, I have very little experience with circuits. I can't even draw out an asyncronis multivibrator right now. (That is a square wave generator involving 2 transistors, 4 resistors, and 2 capicitors, not a toy based around a motor with an off center weight) P.S. The line on the far right is for alignment, If this line is crooked, copy and paste the diagram to a standard ASCII editor. this should eliminate the pipes and spaces from being shorter than every thing else.

1 0

[noise] Re: Why I Don't Read SF Much Anymore
by Sean Roach 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 12:14 AM 11/21/96 -0800, Timothy C. May wrote: ... >- John Brunner, "The Shockwave Rider," and, my favorite, "Stand on >Zanzibar." Required reading. As Shalmaneser would put it, "Christ, what an >imagination he had." ... Anyone else notice similarites between the protagonist in "The Shockwave Rider" and "The Pretender" the new Television series. They both even have sympathetic pursuers. Any wagers on how long it will take the pretender to turn his old handler? BTW, Tim, I don't mean to offend you by adding noise to the front, but this post is a little off topic, mine not yours. I seem to have offended someone else by doing something similar.

1 0

Re: The public sees no need for crypto at this time
by frantz＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 10:25 AM 11/21/96 -0800, Timothy C. May wrote: >I believe that at this time the differential market value to customers of >having strong crypto in telephones is near-zero, and in cell-phones is only >slightly greater. [reasoning deleted]. I generally agree with Tim about consumers. However, I remember working on a theater production where we were using Radio Shack 2-way headphones for communication. One day while we were setting up, we were able to overhear a woman discussing (presumably with a girlfriend) her boyfriend and their sex life over a portable telephone. You can bet that every available headset was in use and all other work stopped. Where I think there is a market and an awareness of a need is in the corporate world. I recently saw a corporate security policy which specifically restricted discussing classified information on portable or cell phones. If I were in France (to pick on just one guilty country), I would not want to discuss secrets involving competitive position vs. a French company on a landline connection. The big driving force for companies is how much the facility costs. (I recently heard a price of $700 for non-crypto phones.) If the cost is low enough, company employees will have these boxes in their homes. The other big obstacle is standards. As far as I can tell, every crypto phone has its own protocol. If there were a standard set of protocols, it would greatly help the market, as it has for so many other products. As a first step, I suggest that Eric Blossom and PGP Inc. work together to develop a mode where their products can communicate with each other. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill Frantz | The lottery is a tax on | Periwinkle -- Consulting (408)356-8506 | those who can't do math. | 16345 Englewood Ave. frantz(a)netcom.com | - Who 1st said this? | Los Gatos, CA 95032, USA

2 1

WORK ONLINE...PART TIME
by Success 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

WORK ONLINE...PART TIME! National Software Company is currently seeking independent agents for marketing their services. If you're reading this, you have what it takes, (a computer and modem), to start your own business, work part-time or full-time. The commissions are great, the products are great, and it sells itself. You will be sent all the materials it takes to take orders in the convenience of your own home,-manual, order forms, software, etc. This is a real company, desiring real people worldwide who want in on the ground floor. With all the people getting online via AOL, Compuserve, Netscape, the marketing and need is great. You must be a self-starter, ready to handle in-bound calls, and make between $700-to-$1000 per week to start. Our average agents yearly salary is six figures. Be your own boss! Join us and become an independent sales agent. For more information and signing up contact: DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE INFORMATION DISK FROM THIS WEB SITE. http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/3151/ You simply point and click - just like you do in windows. It is a breeze to work with. See for yourself what all the excitement is about... download it! Please note: This is a one time mailing only and you have NOT been added to any lists for future mailings.

1 0

Another animal isolation idea ...
by Ernest Hua 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

How about putting the list o' bad animals in a separate list where the list server will specially recognize and will not broadcast messages except back to the sender? This will be an effective stealth censorship mechanism, which some of us would like to see happen to the few "animals" contributing the trash. Ern

1 0

Oh fun ... another mass spam mailer ...
by Ernest Hua 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Why don't these people take a hint? Ern ------- Forwarded Message Return-Path: name(a)worldnet.att.net Received: from mtigwc02.worldnet.att.net (mailhost.worldnet.att.net [204.127.129.4]) by xenon.chromatic.com (8.7.5/8.7.3) with ESMTP id NAA24359 for <hua(a)chromatic.com>; Fri, 22 Nov 1996 13:52:28 -0800 (PST) Received: from Default ([153.35.19.61]) by mtigwc02.worldnet.att.net (post.office MTA v2.0 0613 ) with SMTP id ANQ13190; Fri, 22 Nov 1996 19:35:25 +0000 From: removenow(a)hotmail.com Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 14:36:56 PST Subject: As featured in Business Week Message-ID: <19961122174156.ANQ13190@Default> Press reply for removal As Featured in BUSINESS WEEK MAGAZINE & ENTREPENURE MAGAZINE ..December issue. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SPECIAL OFFER GOOD UNTIL DECEMBER 26th 1996 ONLY xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx free free free free free free free free free free free free free free free E-MAIL WORKS v3.1a FREE!! WITH PURCHACE OF SECURE BULK E-MAILING AND WEB SITE HOSTING SERVICES!!!!!!!!!!!!! free free free free free free free free free free free free free free free That's Right!! When you order our secure bulk e mail hosting services you get the best & most advanced bulk e-mail package for FREE. This product sold for $499 is now free!!!!. Not just a demo, the fully functional version!!! Just e mail your request to 1webguy(a)slip.net E Mail Works v3.1 is by far the most advanced bulk e-mail software available on the market. It's power and depth are only matched by it' s ease of use. Features I Sends at 13000 to 15000 per hour with 14.4 modem II Posts to thousands of news groups automatically III Collects at 75000 per 24 hours Collect from Aol, Comp-U-Serve, Prodigy & all others IV Works while your computer is-surfing-getting e mail or word processing. V Easy to use remove name feature. VI Parsing table 45000 to 100,000 per hour VII Stand alone - NO Pegasus-Eudora-Freedom- or other email program needed VIII Sends & Gathers & Parsing at the same time! IX Marketing Tables X Time & date stamp on all mailings XI Filtering system XII Send live links XIII Repair data base XIV Merge data base XV View data base XVI Pull down help menu's xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx THE FIRST WEB SITE HOSTING SERVICE FOR PROFESSIONAL BULK E-MAIL MARKETERS!!!! Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ONLY $149 per month With this unique service you send mail using your local dial-up through our secure SMTP port. The mail you send is first filtered through our remove name list and then sent. I SECURE T3 CONNECTION WEB SITE HOSTING When SoftCell becomes you postmaster you will never have your site ripped down again or have you e mail address change II 10 MG WEB DOMAIN We transfer or register your domain with internic III POP ACCOUNT REMOVE NAMES All mail is parsed against several large remove name lists as you mail IV 5 MG FLAME PROOF E-MAIL BOX We will not except multiple message or unmarked attachments from any user. V FIRE WALL Over 70,000 e mail addresses that can not access our server VI AUTO RESPONDER Easy and fast responder ------- End of Forwarded Message

1 0

Constraining the Program Counter
by ph＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

You could build a fairly secure system if all of the executable code were confined to ROMs. Is there a way to confine the PC of any popular processors so that it can only execute code in the ROM? Ideally, it would be possible to do this with cheap off the shelf hardware. Peter Hendrickson ph(a)netcom.com

1 0

HP-48G is a perfect toy, thanks to all
by ichudov＠algebra.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Thanks to all who recommended me to buy an HP-48G calculator. It is one of the most perfect toys that an adult can play with. I used a programmable stack calculator when I was in high school and it is a true pleasure. - Igor.

2 1