December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

PGP duress code, and stego (was Re: PGP in UK - snooped unSTEALHed?)
by aba＠dcs.exeter.ac.uk 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

erm darn, I posted a huge post which should have the above subject, but instead came out with the subject line: Re: Returned mail: User unknown due to typo, could someone replying please correct that, if following up, I won't bother posting it again in respect of those who actually pay for their mail feed per k. It had a lot of questions which I'd really like people to look at, skip back a few, and take a read, it's for the implementation of stealth2, Henry Hasturs stealth util. Adam

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Whitehouse responds to Zimmermann pardon letter
by an215712＠anon.penet.fi 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

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NSA says strong crypto to china??
by Jeff Weinstein 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

This is a quote from an article by Paul Vallely in The Independent, London, which can be found here: http://nytsyn.com/live/News3/006_010696_101827_2723.html > What one government regards as harmful material is an instrument of freedom > and democracy to another. Officials at the US National Security Agency have > suggested that Internet encryption technology - a sophisticated method of > encoding information - be deliberately exported to Chinese dissidents to > help them in their fight against their government - even though its export > is otherwise banned under US arms control regulations. Does anyone know of real documentation of this "suggestion" from the NSA? It quite telling, though no surprise to any of us I'm sure, that they would think that strong crypto should be a tool of freedom in china, but not in this country. Maybe they should get Microsoft to insert subliminal directions for downloading PGP into a future episode of "My Computer Family". :-) --Jeff Jeff Weinstein - Electronic Munitions Specialist Netscape Communication Corporation jsw(a)netscape.com - http://home.netscape.com/people/jsw/ Any opinions expressed above are mine.

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NIST conference summary in CDT
by K. M. Ellis 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

The Center for Democracy in Technology policy posting no. 24 provides a pretty good summary of the NIST conference. If anyone is interested, e-mail me privately and I can forward it to you. -=Kathleen M. Ellis=- kelli(a)zeus.towson.edu Geek Code v3.0 http://zeus.towson.edu/~kelli/ GAT dx s++:- a-- C++ uu+++ P+ L++ E- W++ N K W--- O- M- V-- PS+++ PE- y+>+(-) PGP+>++ t+ 5 x+ R tv b+++ DI- D--- G e h* r+ z** Diverse Sexual Orientation Coll.Towson State University DSOC(a)zeus.towson.edu

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Elliptic Curve Public Key Crypto
by Brian D Williams 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Mike Rosing writes: >in the cypherpunks ftp site /pub/cypherpunks/ciphers are 2 ascii >files. One contains code and the other contains documentation: >eliptic.src and elliptic.doc. The code portion is a cat'ed block >of files: headers, C sources and a set of prime numbers. The >documentation attempts to explain the math, but it does help if >you already know number theory. It hopefully isn't necessary. Thanks Mike for all your effort!! Now could someone remind me where the Cypherpunks FTP site is? Please? Brian D Williams Cypherpatriot " Zen? Well it beats sitting around on your ass all day doing nothing! "

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Netscape to patch shareware version
by Weld Pond 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

This is from the Sept 11, 1995 Inter@ctive Week: Netscape Communications Corp.'s freely distributed browser is getting commercial-grade encryption, making it safe to use in the U.S. The change comes two weeks after Inter@ctive Week disclosed that the free version contained reletively weak encryption that had been cracked by a European user. [...] Meanwhile, in an as yet unannouced move, the company said it would place its commercial browser online for free downloading. THat move apparently comes in direct response to an Inter@ctive Week article that highlighted the fact that all shareware versions of the browser contain the so-called 40-bit key encryption software which was recently proven insecure. THe commercial version, sold only in the U.S. contains an unbreakable 128-bit encryption scheme. Netscape said it received word last week that the State Department had cleared that version for release on the Net, but only within the U.S., owing to current export laws banning the export of encryption schemes stronger than 40 bits. THe company could provide no details by press time on how it would ensure that the 128-bit version wouldn't leak beyond U.S. borders. [end excerpts] I love how Inter@ctive Week pats themselves on the back for making people aware of the problem. I guess the cypherpunk media hacking is working. Doing things behind the scenes and making the press think they are the internet users salvation looks like a good tactic. The cypherpunks forced a situation where Net users now have better encryption available to them. I'd say this is a big win. Weld Pond - weld(a)l0pht.com - http://www.l0pht.com/~weld L 0 p h t H e a v y I n d u s t r i e s Technical archives for the people - Bio/Electro/Crypto/Radio

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DC-C'punks meeting
by pfarrell＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Sorry to waste list bandwidth for the 600 folks too far away to care about this... The next DC-area c'punks meeting will be September 16, it will be at the Digex headquarters offices in Beltsville, probably starting about 3:00 PM. Digital Express Group 6800 Virginia Manor Road Beltsville Maryland 20705 (301) 847-5000 Directions to DIGEX >From the Washington Beltway (I495) in Maryland, take Route 1 North. drive on Route 1 a few miles, maybe as many as three or four. You will see a Ritz Camera Center. Turn left onto Ritz Way. At the second street, turn Right onto Virginia Manor Road. You are now near 6800 Virginia Manor Road. Digex is the last building on the Right. If you need more information, email me, or see my http://www.isse.gmu.edu/~pfarrell/dccp page. Pat Pat Farrell grad student http://www.isse.gmu.edu/students/pfarrell Infor. Systems and Software Engineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA PGP key available via finger or request #include standard.disclaimer

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Re: Netscape to patch shareware version
by carolann＠censored.org 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

As fast as it takes to FTP it over there. I have copies of every server Netscape's got, although I haven't unpacked them or used them. Will this take up another 75 megs on the HD? Lover Always, Carol Anne.....dreaming of her own web server someday. >| Meanwhile, in an as yet unannouced move, the company said it would place >| its commercial browser online for free downloading. [..] THe commercial >| version, sold only in the U.S. contains an unbreakable 128-bit >| encryption scheme. >Ok, any bet on how long it will take? > >/Christian -- Member Internet Society - Certified BETSI Programmer - Webmistress *********************************************************************** Carol Anne Braddock (cab8) carolann(a)censored.org 206.42.112.96 My Homepage The Cyberdoc *********************************************************************** ------------------ PGP.ZIP Part [017/713] ------------------- M8H,),S$8G>&.WP(8IRA`-M['+`Q%&_C"">5-F%LX@<_Q$;*P'',Q$Z/AA[8M MF=O0H+*%(-S%&>S%+FS&<LS%3(Q&#W1"<]2%`H^;,]^1C$'HBN8PX$4SYAU^ MPGD<Q0ZLA0D+,`MCT!LA**4M[-JPAK9F?40!AJ,CW"'%DR#:'9?Q)3[%<DQ` ------------------------------------------------------------- for next chunk to export --> http://dcs.ex.ac.uk/~aba/export/

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Re: Scientology tries to break PGP - and
by keelings＠wu1.wl.aecl.ca 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Incoming from Henry W. Farkas: > [snip] > When the safety is finally removed from the gun at your head (sorry for > the drama) you hand over your alternate secret key. If decrypted with the > "alternate" or "fake" secret key, the encrypted file is wiped until it > reaches a marker; the remainder of the file is displayed. If you use your > "primary" or "real key", the extraneous text is simply stripped. I would just like to point out that, when a LEA comes to you to get at the contents of your computer, (s)he is not going to patiently wait while your system wipes the offending evidence off your hard disk. The first thing they do is make a copy of everything, so they can work from the copy. Besides, you do have backup tapes laying around all over the place, don't you? -- "Remember, obsolescence (Win95) isn't an accident; it's an art form!" keelings(a)wu1.wl.aecl.ca s. keeling, aecl - whiteshell labs

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When they came for the Jews...
by Duncan Frissell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

********* Citing ``the rapidly expanding presence of organized hate groups on the Internet,'' a leading Jewish human rights group [the Simon Wiesenthal Center] on Tuesday began sending letters to hundreds of Internet access providers and universities asking them to refuse to carry messages that ``promote racism, anti-Semitism, mayhem and violence.'' But Cooper said the ``unprecedented potential and scope of the Internet'' gives people ``incredible power to promote violence, threaten women, denigrate minorities, promote homophobia and conspire against democracy.'' He cited the posting of instructions for making explosive devices, including recipes for Sarin nerve gas and bombs similar to the one that destroyed the Federal Building in Oklahoma City last April 19. *********** In reading the above from today's NYT, I was interested to see the expansion of the protected classes who are not to have unkind things said about them on the Nets. Aside from the usual list of suspects, I noted that *democrats* were also to be protected. I thought that "conspiring against democracy" (something I do daily) was classic political speech and and activity that even the drafters of the American Constitution practiced from time to time. I guess I'm going to have to watch my attacks on democracy if I don't want to get my Net access cut off. DCF "I favor discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color sex, age, alienage, previous condition of servitude, recent interstate travel, handicap, sexual or affectional preference, marital status, Vietnam-era veteran status (or lack thereof), occupation, economic status, and anything else I can think of."

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