December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

RE: Secure Erase for PCs?
by John Fricker 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Peter's paper is an interesting overview of data recovery technology. He does conclude that his 35 write regiment will overwrite all signals on hard disk media. It would seem that performing the 35 writes multiple times would yield an securely erased drive. Yet he clearly is not an expert in data recovery, is organizing others research, and does not provide evidence or tests for his postulates such as the need for a good PRNG. It would be quite interesting to send a disk off to a data recovery company after running through Peter's method with perhaps different parts of the disk treated differently. Also, the section on RAM talks about data persistance but does not cover recovery methods other than SRAM power up bias. Nor is the RAM section referenced. RAM is so active that it would seem little pertinent data could be recovered if any. So, in spite of not being an expert myself I am not convinced that any very well funded entity can recover data that has been overwritten an arbitrarily large number of times. Of course the relative value of my personal data is low and my level of paranoia follows. One can not be called reactionary by recommending a "no-trust" policy. Reading the paper reminds me how long ago it was that I studied the physics of microelectronic devices. Yow! >Bill Frantz (frantz(a)netcom.com) said >At 8:05 PM -0800 12/9/96, John Fricker wrote: >>> Though, technically, no disk can be securely erased, my program, >> >>Sure it can. Ten overwrites will rendered remnant data obscure. So says the >>electron microscope waving data recovery experts anyway. > >You should really check out Peter Gutmann's paper in the 1996 Usenix >Security Conference Proceedings. After reading it, I think you will come >to the conclusion that the only secure data destruction technique, against >a well-funded attacker, is destruction of the disk. I like thermite myself. > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Bill Frantz | I still read when I should | Periwinkle -- Consulting >(408)356-8506 | be doing something else. | 16345 Englewood Ave. >frantz(a)netcom.com | It's a vice. - R. Heinlein | Los Gatos, CA 95032, USA > --j --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ | John Fricker (jfricker(a)vertexgroup.com) | -random notes- | My PGP public key is available by sending | me email with subject "send pgp key". | www.Program.com is a good programmer web site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -

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take me off the list, please!!!
by DWSKI1283＠aol.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

please take me off the mailing list, i cant stand the petty bickering. What a waste, you guys spend all your time taking potshots at each other instead of really relevant issues. My sincere apologies to those not involved.

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Re: PGP 3 Beta testers needed
by lucifer＠dhp.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

> Here, Timmy Mayflower descends into total > inanity. He should have a cold shower and/or a > Turkish coffee. > > |\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ __ > | \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ | O~-_ Timmy Mayflower > | >----|-|-|-|-|-|-|--| __/ > | / / / / / / / / |__\ > |/ / / / / / / / > All joking aside, is there any reason I shouldn't trust Tim May (assuming I don't care about his personal details like sexual preference, etc.)? Thanks.

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[CRYPTO] Sphere packings
by mixmaster＠remail.obscura.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Timmy May's police record is many times longer than his prick (well, that's not hard). /\ __/__\__ | 00 | Timmy May |: \ :| | \_/| \__/

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Apropros of labeling systems...
by Mike McNally 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Yahoo has a Reuter's story covering a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics. They're concerned about record content description labels; they don't think their "strong" enough. If the industry does not develop a stronger voluntary system, it said, Congress should impose one. (I wonder if they really said that Congress should impose a stronger voluntary system?) I wonder when people will realize that the threat of Congress imposing a ratings system seems functionally equivalent to Congress imposing a ratings system? -- ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Mike McNally -- Egregiously Pointy -- Tivoli Systems, "IBM" -- Austin mailto:m5@tivoli.com mailto:m101@io.com http://www.io.com/~m101 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

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FW: Hoax: the "Deeyenda" virus (was ... VIRUS ALERT ...)
by Morbid Angel 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

found in a Usenet posting: ----------------------------------- >From Melvin Klassen <KLASSEN(a)UVVM.UVIC.CA> Date: Wed, 4 Dec 1996 12:00:00 PST Newsgroups: bit.listserv.help-net MIKE R BLAKE <> writes: >>> FYI... >>> **********VIRUS ALERT********** >>> There is a computer virus that is being sent across the Internet. If >>> you receive an email message with the subject line "Deeyenda", DO NOT >>> read the message, DELETE it immediately! Nonsense. Your message is a **HOAX** ! Instead, check the "Computer Virus Myths Home Page", and the specific page describing "Deeyenda", at: http://www.kumite.com/myths/myth027.htm >>> FCC WARNING!!!!! -----DEEYENDA PLAGUES INTERNET The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) does not issue such messages. It's not part of their mandate to do such. -- returning to lurk mode...

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Virus?
by Aaron Burnett 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Has anybody heard of the Monkey_B virus? If so what does it do exactly? Also does anybody know where I could find a downloadable Win95 upgrade upgrading Windows 3.x to Win95?

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Are accountants smart or stupid?
by nobody＠replay.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

xx

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Re: Redlining
by drose＠AZStarNet.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Matthew J. Miszewski wrote: (snip) >I, personally, find racial discrimination to be a problem in the USA. > >Not only do I find it a moral problem, but it has adverse effects on >markets and the efficiency of these same markets. > >It is costly not only in personal measures, but in economical terms as well. > >As a way to address these concerns, holistically, moral concerns as well as >economic concerns, I do support limited regulation specifically tailored to >address this problem. > >One of the means of addressing only one specific aspect of this problem is >to legislatively restrict the practice of redlining. (snip) Many people of good will find racial discrimination to be abhorrent. OTOH, I'm sure that as an attorney you are cognizant of the fact that financial institutions have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. In any case, have you given any consideration to taking your well-meaning but off-topic thoughts to any one of a number of perhaps more appropriate fora?

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Deeyenda, is a fucking hoax...
by Vincent M. Padua 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Deeyenda is not a virus, it's a hoax (like "Good Times" and "Irina") A warning about a virus called Deeyenda is being distributed around the internet. However, the virus does not exist and this is yet another example of a growing trend: hoax virus alerts being mistakenly sent all around the internet. If you receive the warning about Deeyenda (which has many similarities to another hoax, "Good Times") be sure to tell the person who sent the warning to you that it is in fact a hoax, and they should take care not to pass the hoax warning on to anyone else. Please quit propogating this bullshit. //Vince

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