December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

I back your scratch...
by fnerd＠smds.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

So, the reason I asked about "orthogonal checksums" was this: If you can check the integrity of a copy of a file remotely, then people can trade storage space and have remote backups. Or have more complicated schemes where, say, a group of users pay for a common storage service by backing up some of the files (or other files) for the provider. The nice thing about this is that storage space is something that's immediately valuable and electronically tradable. And its value can increase by trading. In other words, we can trade one meg for one meg and both come out ahead in terms of safety. "I back your scratch and you back mine." I'm not sure storage space makes a good unit of value for anything else, since the cost of storage keeps going down. On the other hand, trading space for space is immune to that inflation. Some concrete applications: o Making bulletin boards' data safe from loss by vandalism o Archiving a mailing list -fnerd - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - nowhere man has gone before -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.3a aKxB8nktcBAeQHabQP/d7yhWgpGZBIoIqII8cY9nG55HYHgvt3niQCVAgUBLMs3K ui6XaCZmKH68fOWYYySKAzPkXyfYKnOlzsIjp2tPEot1Q5A3/n54PBKrUDN9tHVz 3Ch466q9EKUuDulTU6OLsilzmRvQJn0EJhzd4pht6hSnC1R3seYNhUYhoJViCcCG sRjLQs4iVVM= =9wqs -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

1 0

Cypherpunks' Electronic Book2
by Gary Jeffers 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

CYPHERPUNKS' ELECTRONIC BOOK (CEB) 2 Dear Cypherpunks, Well, my evil plan to volunteer Eric Hughes's time for my Cypherpunk's Electronic Book has not worked out as well as I had hoped but somewhat as I had expected. Eric, it is crucial to the project that you give out permissions for some people to change Majordomo, possibly make a few changes in the Cypherpunks' mailing list, & possibly appoint a few people as referees. I realize that you are quite busy & that your time is valuable but it looks like there will be other people to handle the technical details. I think CEB can progress with a very small amount of your time. I think that you will agree that CEB is quite valuable & I think that you will be proud of the results. Robert Hayden has volunteered to make the changes in Majordomo & do the file handling work. This is the most crucial technical work to be done. This will setup the actual mechanics of the CEB. Robert says that this is all he has time for. Well, this is a lot! With Eric's per- missions, Robert's technical work, a description of how to contribute to CEB & possibly some writers' contributions to seed to CEB, I think CEB will generate a life of its own. Once CEB gets going, most of the work will be done by the referees & writers. The contributors will be doing just what they like to be doing anyway. The most difficult part will be in just getting it started. I think that, once it gets going, everybody will want to get on the bandwagon. Robert Lau has volunteered to donate his Cypherpunks' archives. Due to the nature of the CEB, we will not need them early on. However, they may be very valuable to researchers working on projects. Later, people looking for a project for CEB may want to comb them for projects. Thanks to the C'punks who have volunteered to help with the project. Eric, would it be alright for Robert Hayden to make some changes to Majordomo & perhaps the mailing list? I don't know what all he will need to do. Robert Hayden will probably need to talk to you. Also, once Mr. Hayden has started work, maybe others will volunteer to help him. Yours Truly, Gary Jeffers

4 3

Re: IMP (was Re: ecash-info (fwd))
by rah＠shipwright.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Tim, if you pat me on the head any more you're likely to get fleas... The point of my post was to discuss the merits of a proposition. That is, WWW/Mosaic is at least a prima facie (seems like a good idea), if not de facto (they say it works) Internet Mercantile Protocol. *If* that's the case, then what would be proper the action to make it happen quicker. *If* it is possible to send money through the internet *and* receive something in return (probably nettable.stuff like software, information, maybe bandwidth?), *then* you have an IMP. I think Chaum's innocent until proven guilty. I used the words de facto in the existential, and not the universal, sense. I could not possibly mean everyone's using it, in light of the fact that he just announced the stuff! >In the interests of brevity, I'll make my points without quoting >Robert Hettinga's article. > >1. Like I said a couple of times, no flaming was intended. I was only >urging what I ordinarily urge, that super-enthusiastic newcomers get [charitable discussion of enthusiastic newcomers running about the house in muddy boots, silly rah-rah (;-)) cheerleading behavior for people who don't even read c'punks, and "if I were you, young man" instructions in proper norms for a c'punk, etc.] >It is also remotely possible that a Zimmermann-like person (or group) >may develop a PGDC scheme. Maybe. But PGP took PRZ a lot of time, and >that of the v 2.0 crew that helped (many of them on this List!), and >hence it may not be too likely for a while. This is where I think you're fighting the last (of several) wars. I was *not* trying to find out if anyone around here wanted to work for free. I was looking for a "snicker test" of the concept that WWW/Digicash might be an IMP, so that folks like myself could do something to make it happen if it is. Forthwith, I hereby promise *never* to ask someone on this list to work for free. (I'll probably regret that ;-)). >(Also, absent banks that >will honor PGDC--though some efforts may change this--the challenge >will be enormous. And straight encryption is vastly more >understandable, conceptually and practically, than digital cash >protocols.) This is the first kernal of tenable argument in all the chaff of (face it, Tim) condesention, and I agree with it. I think getting banks - or other people who convert money from one form to another - interested in digital cash is something someone who doesn't code for a living could do. Points like this were what I was looking for. Now that it can be done (as Chaum has claimed to have demonstrated), then someone with more guts than brains won't get laughed out of the office in the first round of due dilligence. > >7. The "voice encryption" is probably more important right now, and >much "easier" to implement. It also can be done by independent groups... [much sage advice about getting people to work for free on appropriate, scalable projects, scarce c'punk resources, and herding cats] >> I figure that somebody acted. Somebody wrote code. Is it shipping? I have a >> product I'm dying to sell this way right now. > >It will likely be at least a few years, in my estimation, before >enought peopole are using this so as to create a market. Meanwhile, >sell your product the normal way...unless the privacy/anonymity issues >are critical, why wait? I'm not so sure here. If the market is for stuff like software and information, and if the only proprietary market opportunity is at the currency exchange level, then if a credible, (and legal) currency exchange function is implemented on the internet, and we have a working Internet Mercantile Protocol. Lots of "ifs" in that line of reasoning, but they're not hysterically unrealistic. >>.... As it is, I feel like Garth and/or Wayne. "I'm not worthy!, >> I'm not worthy!" I really didn't want get into it with Tim May of all >> people... >> >> How many lawns do I have to mow to pay for the window, mister? ;-). >> > >Just read the articles. You don't have to be a number theory expert, >debating birthday paradoxes with Eli Brandt, Hal Finney, Jay PP, Eric >Hughes, and the other number theory savvy folks, but some overall . . . [watch out for the fleas, Tim] Happy Scratching, Bob Hettinga ----------------- Robert Hettinga (rah(a)shipwright.com) "There is no difference between someone Shipwright Development Corporation who eats too little and sees Heaven and 44 Farquhar Street someone who drinks too much and sees Boston, MA 02331 USA snakes." -- Bertrand Russell (617) 323-7923

1 0

CEB 5 - The Hangover
by Gary Jeffers 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Cypherpunks' Electronic Book (CEB) part 5 - the hangover. Tim May writes on & on & on about my failure to write the CEB. Hey, just where did I pick up GUILT? I had a really great idea for Cypherpunks that I also felt was a glaring omission of Cypherpunks'. I wrote up the idea as best as I could & tried to interest some com- petent C'punk to do it. I thought I did a really good job of writing up the idea. Unfortunately, I lack the skills to write the particular code to do the idea. Its sort of like bringing home a rabbit for supper & everybody dumps on you cause it wasn't a moose. What kind of guilt do you dump on people who actually do bad things? Admittedly, implementing the idea is magnitudes more work that get- ting the idea. However, it was a great idea & why should I suppress it because I personally couldn't implement it? No doubt, great ideas fall from Tim May like rain from the skies & he considers them cheap if not nuisances. However, in most of the world, they are in short supply & are considered valuable. I have discovered that the idea of bunches of creative, skilled programmers with lots of time on their hands is a myth. I guess they all manage to figure out something worth while to write. Originally, I had thought that there would be at least one of them around looking for something worthy to do. Myself, I am busy trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong in using Turbo Debugger to examine the transient part of a TSR, debugging a new version of my shareware program, & then I will be busy converting my shareware program to a version that I can donate to the Cypherpunks. And I have my regular 40 hour a week job. I don't have loads of spare time for CEB either. I believe that I have described a very worthwhile project for anyone who wants to do it. I have a lot of hope that someone will do it later. I don't think its going to be forgotten. I would like to thank the people who supported the idea. CEB doesn't look like it is going to happen soon but if Cypherpunks grows, I think it is inevitable that it will happen. As for Tim May's FAQ project, I have some suggestions. I've noticed that since Majordomo was implemented we seem to have much fewer requests to Cypherpunks to unsubscribe. This may just be an artifact of Major- domo's having unsubscribed all the subscribers & only the determined resubscribed. Or maybe people are using Majordomo to unsubscribe & to subscribe. Anyway, if Majordomo could be slightly reprogrammed to advertise your FAQ anytime a user used the default salutation to Majordomo such as a blank file or whatever, it would help. By using Majordomo you could actually have lots of people aware of your FAQ & using it rather than just having your accomplishment laying around gathering dust. I would also suggest that Majordomo be programmed to post its basic capabilities to the list at least every week so that everybody would have the basic knowledge to explore the Cypherpunk FAQs & know the basics that they are expected to know. But, Tim, if you decide you want this done - do it yourself. You just have no idea how you get dumped on when you suggest others do it for you! :-) Yours Truly, Gary Jeffers PUSH EM BACK! PUSH EM BACK! WWWAAAYYY BBBAAACCCKK! BBBEEEAAATTTT STATE !

3 2

FWD: Encryption for Newton
by plaz＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

An interesting tidbit for those who are watching out for Newton Encryption and Privacy solutions: > From: R._Braithwaite-Lee(a)magic-bbs.corp.apple.com > Newsgroups: comp.sys.newton.misc > Subject: Encryption for Newton > Date: 31 May 1994 14:13:24 -0500 > Organization: M A G I C > Hello: > > On June 1, 1994, CustomWare of Toronto will be releasing a freeware newton > application called "nCrypt". nCrypt provides "strong" encryption for newton > objects including notes and names. > > The freeware version of nCrypt will provide password protection for newton > objects and is intended for use as a personal privacy utility. A commercial > version to follow will also implement "public key" protocols for digital > signature authentication and key distribution similar to PowerTalk, > RIPEM/SIG, PGP and RIPEM. > > nCrypt also suppports "drop in" encryption modules for adding compatibility > with other encryption systems. > > Interested developers may contact CustomWare about writing encryption > modules or for testing their apps with nCrypt for compatibility. The > algorithms used by nCrypt will be made available in a technical note for > review. There may even be another of those cash prizes for breaking the > system... > > Contact Reginald Braithwaite-Lee or Andrew Bartle: > > Compu$erve: 73114,2055 > Internet: 73114.2055(a)compuserve.com (temporary) > Telephone: +1 416 410 0675 > Facsimile: +1 416 932 8304 > AppleLink: CUSTOMWARE > SnailMail: 1111-200 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M6K 1Z4 > > Regards, > Reginald !:-) > > Public Key Fingerprint: D8 B8 C1 D0 DD 56 20 B4 06 A2 81 83 87 E8 8B 64 > (Send message with subject "HELP" to pgp-public-keys(a)pgp.ox.ac.uk) _______________________________________________________________________ Geoff Dale -- Cypherpunk/Extropian -- Plastic Beethoven AnarchyPPL - Anarch (Adjudicator) ExI-Freegate Virtual Branch Head plaz(a)netcom.com 66 Pyramid Plaza plaz(a)io.com Freegate, Metaverse(a)io.com 7777 "You don't greet Death, you punch him in the throat repeatedly as he drags you away. I think John Wayne said it best when he said, 'Fuck Death and the lung cancer he rode in on.'" - Denis Leary

2 1

Sternlight infested version of pgp26
by Vincent.Cate＠FURMINT.NECTAR.CS.CMU.EDU 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

The pgp26-RSAREF_3.0_beta.tar.gz file is not real. From some other post, it seems this came from the site in Italy that I mentioned awhile back. They have removed the file from there. It is a lot of bytes for a joke. It should probably be removed from soda too. -- Vince > pwd /alex/edu/berkeley/soda/pub/cypherpunks/pgp/pgp26 > ls -NOT_FOR_EXPORT pgp26ui-src.tar.gz pgp26uis.zip pgp26-RSAREF_3.0_beta.tar.gz pgp26ui-src.tar.gz.sig pgp26uix.sig pgp26.zip pgp26uis.sig pgp26uix.zip > gunzip -c < pgp26-RSAREF_3.0_beta.tar.gz | (cd ~/tmp; tar xvf -) gunzip: stdin: not in gzip format > strings pgp26-RSAREF_3.0_beta.tar.gz WANTED FOR NET.TREASON: |\/\/\/\| | | | (o)(o) C _) OFFICER David Sternlight | ,___| Net.Police | / a.k.a. PROUD _0--------/\/----\/\-------0_ DICK OF / /0 \----/ 0\ \ THE INTERNET / | \ \||/ / | \ / /|STERN || POLICE|\ \ _/_____/ ||LIGHT] || | [#] || \_____\_ |_______/ |\____/ || \__*_/| \_______| > ll pgp26-RSAREF_3.0_beta.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 alexsrvr 567791 May 25 00:20 pgp26-RSAREF_3.0_beta.tar.gz

1 0

PGP 2.3 vs 2.6 outside the US
by rishab＠dxm.ernet.in 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Jeff Barber <jeffb(a)sware.com>: > While creating a 2.6-like version from 2.3a seems a worthy goal, this > supporting argument is flawed. The original PGP was written in the USA > and, never having received the proper export approvals, must have been > "illegally exported." Isn't Phil Zimmerman being "investigated" by a > grand jury for this even now? So, it would seem to me that a bulletin > board carrying any version of PGP holds illegally exported software (wrt > US law). How does 2.3a differ from 2.6 in this respect? 2.0 to 2.3a were developed outside the US, released in New Zealand and the Netherlands, and _imported_ into the US. While a version of 2.3a in India, say, need not have come from the US, and hence does not indicate an ITAR violation somewhere, the version of 2.6 in Italian sites got there only because they were illegally exported from the US.

1 0

NSA breaks Russian PRNGs with neural networks??
by rishab＠dxm.ernet.in 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

tcmay(a)netcom.com: > An interesting article by Seymour Hersh is cited below. It says that > NSA had transcripts of the 1991 coup plotters (and presumably other > Russian leaders) and that Bush passed these on to Yeltsin to warn him. A recent article from the Daily Telegraph, another British paper, went on about the possible encryption techniques used by the Russians. It described how reused one-time pads led to the unmasking of Fuchs, the Rosenbergs, Philby et al. Then it suggested that the method the NSA broke was based on (presumably weak) PRNGs, a stream cipher. It suggested that the NSA might have developed techniques to find patterns in PRNG outputs through neural networks, or genetic algorithms!! While the latter sounds like crap to me, even though I've worked with and believe in the power of neural networks for amazing pattern recognition, unless the PRNGs were _really_ weak, I'm skeptical. I don't think the Russians are fools, and in these times one doesn't rely on secret weak algorithms for crypto, not when there are publicly well known strong ones. Humint? Maybe. The Atlantic Monthly will carry a story on the NSA-Yeltsin thing in June. It would be nice if someone posts it here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rishab Aiyer Ghosh rishab(a)dxm.ernet.in Voicemail +91 11 3760335; Vox/Fax/Data 6853410 H-34C Saket New Delhi 110017 INDIA The National Fairness to Game Animals Association says: Support your right to arm bears! --------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 0

Cypherpunks' Electronic Book 3
by Gary Jeffers 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Cypherpunks' Electronic Book (CEB) 3 Eric Blossom suggests that I could do the CEB job myself by using procmail or Perl & by subscribing a new user that points at my mail processing code & no changes need to be made to Majordomo. Well, he certainly makes it sound easy. However my computer skills are: arguably an expert in Assembler for 80x86 chips; fairly expert at the DOS operating system; very good with DOS Batch files; & at one time rather good with C but now quite rusty. I can get around on the Internet but am not an Internet guru. As for Perl, I would probably cast it before swines. I don't know the languages or protocols or mechanics of the Internet to do it myself. I was hoping to provoke an Internet guru to do this. Robert Hayden wants to know what the extent of his involvement in this project would be. Well, I would say just writing the code & setting up a new account. Eric Blossom makes it sound easy. However, Robert suggests that an administrator would be needed. This could even be more serious. I suspect Eric Hughes would not see it as just a minor ex- pansion of his Cypherpunk list duties - but that was what I was orig- inally hoping for. - would Eric? (shields up!). At this point, I would say that we would need an Internet guru to shepherd this project & we may need an administrator too. I have no idea how heavy the duties of an administrator would be. Anybody have any suggestions or want to volunteer? Also, we probably need someone capable of making an assessment of what is needed. Yours Truly, Gary Jeffers

3 2

Cypherpunks' Electronic Book 4
by Gary Jeffers 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Cypherpunks' Electronic Book (CEB) 4 Martin Janzen suggests using World Wide Web (WWW) to support & distribute the CEB. I am not at all familiar with WWW but hopefully its good. My concern with this distributed organization is that CEB could be controlled by the Cypherpunks' List & that all additions & changes to CEB would be refereed. No unauthorized changes would be made. As for updates, the point of CEB is to be made up of the most recent knowledge. People concerned with an area of electronic privacy & making contributions to the CEB would naturally update the CEB whenever they ran into new developments. People who wanted to read the CEB would be assured that by the nature of the CEB, what they found there would be the latest & the current best. Martin suggests that the CEB could be on several servers. I would suggest, then, that they be on different servers by chapter. Referees who are interested in particular chapters could maintain & administer that chapter. This could mean very little administration by Eric Hughes (cringe). For those who are kindly offering their archives of Cypherpunks' list, they are not needed now, but if & when the CEB gets established, it would be good to have your names on the CEB as archivists. Yours Truly, Gary Jeffers

1 0