December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

[LOCAL] Next cpx physical meeting in SF Bay area?
by Johnathan Corgan 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

It's been about a year since I've been to a cpx physical meeting in the SF area (other than T.C. May's house meeting--thanks again, Tim. The AetherWire folks gave a fascinating talk). I haven't seen much talk here on the list, either. Is this still a regular thing? Back then, we were having marathon meetings at SGI's IRIS cafe on the first Sat. of the month. What goes on these days?

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Re: Fwd: Re: Fwd: Re: FH radios [Dave Emery] [Vaughan Pratt]
by andr0id＠midwest.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

>think I underestimated how hard things could get. If you're just >trying to track a frequency-hopping signal where the rest of the power >in the band is some mix of Gaussian noise and non-hopping signals, the >carrier should be clearly visible as a spike hopping around in the >band. As soon as you have two or more frequency-hopping signals >however, keeping track of which carrier is which as they hop around >looks *much* harder. If they hop at discernibly different times then >you can correlate a carrier that disappeared with the one that appeared >elsewhere at the same time. This easily described and implemented >approach breaks down when two or more signals hop at the same time. >Here you might try to associate some sort of signature with each signal >to allow you to pair up the new carriers with the old, but you'd have >to know more about the situation to say what signatures would be good. > RF finger-printing would do the trick. Any and all RF equipment has its own RF fingerprint no matter how closely they are made at the factory. Now having equipment to RF fingerprint and identify that fingerprint fast enough is another story! Dr0id (andr0id(a)midwest.net callsign: N9XLM) ( Computer Consulting & Management ) (P.O. Box 421 Cambria, IL 62915-0421) -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.6.2 mQENAzCsIi4AAAEH/1hb5+tO/n99Nbppf0ImLJ6AaVZ3NlZP0ZHwRQor00uA129i d4zWixNXxc8t2auaqN+asV99LpIip3/nQzBnjydiumeBdGLF2PR9+6X8X/RrqKa1 dVIukxM5Agg2eM6ih+0J38hgKJ3qzKXSz6sjYmpaxvbXZoHHOLUk/ZtHUKvvEyPw hnJEYnut8NUnIeK56lqeqRw86yoeRKymbfCdjdpgeY2aRwK2FJts8sbb7Fs10s4y jgxWIxIipBznbGUTh1hb2XrLGPENwk3E/qqXQJEsrySbtwdl6VgTVQjhDDEJMitL DYeiQ3W5EgxfcdbM1j2FwYu3P/dM6Y0I8xLMYT0ABRG0NmFuZHIwaWRAb2ljdTgx Mi5jb20gKG9pY3U4MTIuY29tIHN5c3RlbSBhZG1pbmlzdHJhdG9yKYkBFQMFEDCs LO90C7R/GkJcSQEB01cH/0KC3sd+u4OxMku5378SJktoN6QIQYLJ7uVbuV4S51yK NAotCGf4Wl6wwjynzZvXKU0H87oDuMiq7FybgMNL2n+4bQIZi0iz0lIuzwoMDu63 NrHUW9Kz42pOnhrEhrdkHhHL9O5GgD1yc40fJ3qw5h7LQEjDxgypyw0IFILFc34u LeRLliNibxKp8JwAxXNHWSgxu28TQvmnkHi0AHP6tJ/uZYe+4dqJtrMMsYFjzZaz DPmxD+dzbTwlQKtJaP1ZkDI0Sr072wrZDv+G86GyGBMX2lpSafpRitnxuUttjU9o wsQ9Qo5xiH1nZRCs/bDzJe/gng+GHzevixDIITurtNA= =SgPT -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

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US calls for measures against Internet porn
by nobody＠tjava.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Apologies if you've seen this before: WASHINGTON DC (Reuter) - The US called Sunday for improved management of the Internet to prevent people seeing pornographic material on the world computer network. A joint statement from the Clinton administration's State Council (Cabinet) and the office of the Republican Party's Planning Committee said there were increasing links between domestic computer systems and the Internet. ``Good use of the Internet is of great importance to increase global information exchanges, promote economic construction and develop science,'' the Associated Press quoted the statement as saying. But because of weak management and lack of control over what enters the Internet, some pornographic and other harmful materials have come onto the system, it said. ``We must take effective measures to deal with this,'' it said. German prosecutors said Friday they had launched an investigation into the U.S.-based online service CompuServe Inc on suspicion that members had sent child pornography over its worldwide computer network. The inquiry prompted the service to block access to 200 sexually-explicit Internet discussion groups and sites where pornographic pictures are available. An explosion in use and ownership of modems in the US is giving an increasingly large number of people access to the Internet. [The amazing thing is how _little_ editing was necessary.]

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throwaway
by an201465＠anon.penet.fi 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

[from: WEIRDNUZ.410 (News of the Weird, Dec 15, 1995 by Chuck Shepherd)] LEAD STORY * A 62-year-old woman pleaded guilty in Roanoke, Va., in November to stealing about 500 pieces of mail from her neighbors' mailboxes--her third such offense in five years. She had been found sane and competent for trial but nonetheless diagnosed as having an "irresistible impulse" to steal other people's mail. The judge had kept her confined to her home since her arrest, allowing her full freedom only on Sundays, when there is no mail delivery. [Roanoke Times, 11-21-95] --****ATTENTION****--****ATTENTION****--****ATTENTION****--***ATTENTION*** Your e-mail reply to this message WILL be *automatically* ANONYMIZED. Please, report inappropriate use to abuse(a)anon.penet.fi For information (incl. non-anon reply) write to help(a)anon.penet.fi If you have any problems, address them to admin(a)anon.penet.fi

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first germany, now china
by anon-remailer＠utopia.hacktic.nl 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

BEIJING (AP) _ China is planning measures to stop obscene or harmful material from entering the country via the Internet, its official news agency reported Sunday. The Communist Party and the State Council, China's cabinet, recently ordered such measures after learning that ``pornographic and detrimental information'' had been disseminated electronically in China, the Xinhua News Agency said. The report said China intended to use the Internet to promote the exchange and transfer of technology and scientific information, while at the same time blocking what it sees as negative influences. It did not provide further details.

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Re: Is this as insecure... (really "Fax crypto")
by thad＠hammerhead.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Shamir did a talk on fax crypto in May, 1994. There is no reason that this can't be completely secure, the overlays could be one-time pads. Bill Sommerfeld posted a description of the technique to the list after he went to a presentation on the technique, I'll forward it to anybody that needs a copy. Using the same overlay multiple times, though, would make it completely insecure. I can't believe that they are recommending that that could be a possibility. thad -- Thaddeus Beier thad(a)hammerhead.com Technology Development 408) 286-3376 Hammerhead Productions http://www.got.net/~thad

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Re: Australian "calculatorcard"
by E. ALLEN SMITH 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: vin(a)shore.net (Vin McLellan) > Could be one of seven or 8 vendors of so-called "challenge/response" tokens or calculators. Most of those sold in the US and Australia use straight DES (and a token-specific key) to encrypt the "random" challenge number in the token -- but it could be any secret-key algorithm. ----------- This is actually something cryptographic which I know a bit about, so I'll tell you what I know. I had a suitemate a bit back who was working for a local high-tech company as a computer programmer. He used a system somewhat like this, but with some interesting permutations. The main difference was that it didn't use one algorithm. It used quite a few, determined by a hashing of the challenge code. There were a considerable number of challenge codes with distinct hash results that were never used. If the card got too many of those (or too many wrong PINs), it switched to an entirely different set of hashings and encryptions, all of which would warn the server (thanks to their turning out something different in a hash function on the server) that the card had been compromised. I suspect it would also wipe a EEPROM that was storing the valid hash function and algorithms, but he wasn't sure about that. It was all sealed in a plastic block to make sure it was physically hard to reverse-engineer, anyway. -Allen

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Re: For the New Year: A Symbol for Information Freedom
by groundfog＠alpha.c2.org 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

In talk.politics.crypto, ptupper(a)direct.ca (Peter Tupper) wrote: > A Symbol for Information Freedom > by Peter Tupper <ptupper(a)direct.ca> > 1996 is off to a discouraging start when it comes to the >future of information freedom. The American Congress seems >determined to impose censorship on the Internet. The legal >status of strong dual-key cryptography is still in debate. >Telephone companies, cable TV services and publishing services >are all eagerly trying to seize control of the Internet and >eliminate the many-to-many nature of the medium. The accidental >wonder that is the Internet seems to be threatened on all sides, >in danger of being destroyed or denatured before reaching its >potential. > My proposal is only a small contribution to the solutions to >this problem. I believe a symbol is needed; a simple yet >recognizable item that will communicate to others that you are: > -for freedom of speech and expression in all realms, >particularly via computer mediated communications. > -against the imposition of arbitrary community standards by >centralized authority on communications. > -for making access to communications available to everyone. > -against the violation of individual privacy by wiretapping, >intercepting computer communications, compiling dossiers by >government or commercial organizations or other forms of >surveillance. > -for making strong, dual-key encryption programs without >back-doors available to the public. > -against building surveillance measures into communications >and financial infrastructures. > -for a future of communications that is by, for and of the >people, not the state or the market. > The symbol I have chosen is the paper clip. Why a paper >clip? > There are many reasons: > Pragmatic: Paper clips are readily available for >practically nothing, all over the world. They can be applied to >collars, lapels, scarves, pocket edges, suspenders and neck ties >without damaging them and without risk of the pin breaking the >skin. > Aesthetic: The paper clip is a simple, elegant design that >is easily recognized the world over. It can be rendered in many >colors or plated with precious metals. > Symbolic: The paper clip is a simple but effective piece of >technology. An individual uses it to bundle together documents >from disparate sources to create a unified document upon a given >subject, which may be dismantled and remade for another topic. >Furthermore, a paper clip may be bent out of its regular shape >and used as an improvised tool for any number of purposes. > Historic: During the German occupation of Norway in World >War II, Norwegians wore paper clips on their collars as a sign of >solidarity against the invaders. > Commercial: While anybody can obtain a plain paper clip >with little trouble, funds for Information Freedom can be raised >by marketing electroplated or designer paper clips. > The cause of awareness of and activism about AIDS had a >simple, readily recognized symbol, the folded red ribbon. Just >as every celebrity who wears a red ribbon, no matter how trite >and self-promoting it is, is a reminder to those watching that >AIDS is happening and that many people are concerned, >celebrities appearing at the Academy Awards or Grammies with a >designer, gold-plated paper clip on their outfit reminds the >world that information freedom is under fire and that people are >concerned. It will make the Internet community a visible reality >in the public sphere. It will bring these issues into the public >eyes, and give those involved a rallying symbol. It will make a >small difference, but it will contribute to the greater good. > Advertising couldn't hurt.

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Ah, the future...
by James M. Cobb 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Friend, 12 31 95 Associated Press reports: Ah, the future ... At least part of what will happen in the coming year seems clear. Cyberspace will be regulated -- kicking and screaming -- and the court battles over free speech will begin. "It's going to throw the Internet into a state of uncertainty for several years," said [Bob] Smith [of Interactive Services Association]. You may recall the question I asked in an earlier message: And when the State DECIDES...? But that's all right... Despite that, business growth on the net will begin to catch up with the phenomenal increase in accounts. Cordially, Jim NOTE. The newsstory's headline? YEAR OF THE INTERNET: What a tangled web we weave. Its dateline? (Dec 31, 1995 - 00:23 EST). Accessed at? Nando News (www.nando.net) Online filename? info306_3.html That message? Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 04:16:50 -0500 (EST) From: "James M. Cobb" <jcobb(a)ahcbsd1.ovnet.com> To: cypherpunks(a)toad.com Subject: Secrets of the Internet This critical essay, "Ah, the future..." was composed 12 31 95.

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Re: Australian "calculatorcard"
by amp 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-- [ From: amp * EMC.Ver #2.3 ] -- From: David Lesher \ Internet: (wb8foz(a)nrk.com) To: amp \ Internet: (alan.pugh(a)internetmci.com) cc: Cees de Groot \ Internet: (c.degroot(a)inter.nl.net) cc: cypherpunks \ Internet: (cypherpunks(a)toad.com) Subject: Re: Australian "calculatorcard" > sounds like the card i use for remote dialup to certain non-public > systems i use at work. it has a six digit number on the front that > changes every 60 seconds. DS> Do these card systems use a window to handle clock-slip? i'm not sure. i would image so. DS> I'd think you could have the server safely accept # N, N-60 sec, and DS> N+60 seconds; and adjust the server's idea of your card's clock speed DS> from that. DS> What new risk would that create? i would figure the server would give a minute or so for slippage. basically the risk is that it would give someone 3 minutes to do a brute force attack rather than one. if you have decent security on the server side, i.e., disallow the card for 5 minutes or more after 3 or so failed attempts, brute attacks would be minimized. however, if the actual window for a single code is 3 minutes, that increases your chance of hitting it as 3 separate numbers would be valid for a given card at any given time. amp <0003701548(a)mcimail.com> (since 10/31/88) <alan.pugh(a)internetmci.com> PGP Key = 57957C9D PGP FP = FA 02 84 7D 82 57 78 E4 E2 1C 7B 88 62 A6 F9 F7 December 31, 1995 21:59

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