December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

Re: Anonymous code name allocated. // penet hack
by rarachel＠prism.poly.edu 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I don't think I have a code allocated, unless I accidentally replied to some message from penet... If (suppose) I had one allocated, what would happen with the tuna spam? Would anything alert me that it was tried?

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How to find a primitive root of unity, for Diffe-Hellman?
by 7CF5048D＠nowhere 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > >How do I choose constants suitable for Diffe-Hellman? >According to _Applied Cryptography_ n should be prime, >also (n-1)/2 should also be prime. g should be a primitive >root of unity mod n. n should be 512 or 1024 bits long. >Are there any other requirements? > >How can I choose such numbers? Are such numbers published >anywhere? > Ok let me take a stab at finding g assuming n has been choosen to meet the above requirements. (I hope my math is still good.) Let Zn be the field defined by the prime n. Let G be the multiplicitive group defined in Zn. So |G| = n-1. Now n is large so 1 is not equal to -1 in Zn. Let N be { 1, -1} in G. It is a subgroup. Zn is abielian so it is Normal. We can consider the canoical map: G ---> G/N The order of G/N will be (n - 1)/2 which we are assuming to be prime. G/N is a cyclic group with no non trivial subgroups. Every element not = 1 is a generator. Pulling back to G we find that if g is not a root of unity, then the other member of its co-set = -g is! So take any g and raise to (n-1)/2 power. The result will be equal to 1 or -1. g raised to any lower power will not be equal to 1 or -1. Since (n-1)/2 is a large prime, it is odd. So if g to the (n-1)/2 is = to 1, then - -g to the (n-1)/2 = -1. So we can find a g which raised to the order (n-1)/2 power is = to -1. So g to the (n-1) power is =1 and g is a primitive root of unity. Have I made any errors? Did I get it right? -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6 iQCVAgUBLmt8dw2Gnhl89QSNAQHzmAP9GUGAmFcbgMyWxKtrzEvQYJS33FXGoGmr w4rXblv14lkwJX32hpoRKmicm3bdND2OPGgmM4EefGYggj+iCI+NU+l6II+MxhjY C4Rk3Xjn59H81FhNdfcNqOU9AirjwMBSqKzYtNCfbedB6HuQDCTeLSU5pjI5PSEQ wvFP7F3i5rY= =0r8J -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Attention Bay Area (and West Coast?) Cypherpunks
by tcmay＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

The "Nova" PBS is tonight, at 8 p.m., repeating "The Codebreakers." On Channel 9, KQED, in San Francisco, and maybe elswhere...depends on when your area shows 'nova." I only mention this because last time it was on, a bunch of folks asked if anyone could send them copies, so there must be some interest. --Tim -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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RE: 'Anon' Fake
by nobody＠shell.portal.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > The mechanism employed was obvious and simple -- someone subscribed an > anXXX address to the list. Anyone looking at the subscription list can > tell that, on their own. This technique has been used before. Is there any evidence to link this anxxxx person to the "tuna fish" spam? Given the fact that by doing a "who cypherpunks" will yield anyone, including various TLAs a list of potential "troublemakers" (by their standards), might this subscriber merely be trying to protect his real identity from prying eyes? Actually, I had thought of doing so myself, but didn't want to over-burden Julf's server with such a high volume of mail, plus having the mesages get cut off whenever a dashed line was encountered. FWIW, other list servers have a "set conceal" option which, upon request, keeps a person's address from becoming public through the "who" command. - -- Diogenes -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6 iQCVAgUBLj70d+Rsd2rRFQ1JAQFSlwP+NkXJSaKlUKuFnLhzHWjGxd6X+prUlPiV NsKGBXON6ATKGTvcCE8IG+A17MwkxNi4PxnOvmdCyyI+940Rz9uDmZo8qSW5EWip 7oQ/mEFGnxRY7wkw+99QHpASxBE/9nJSvuCM0AwGfZ5/0rMSUE1t2M52PAfZcELa 9G+cEM9GiPM= =tzW7 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: Art Gallery on internet needs PGP signatures
by tcmay＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Arsen Ray A. wrote: > Now the question I have is what if the forgery is done so well, would it > fool the scanner and pass the signature? ie: What if you take a picture > of the painting or part or whatever using high resolution film, etc. > Would it pass the signature? I don't know (but I'll make some speculative/engineering guesses), as I never saw the system...like I said, I heard a verbal description of it some years back (from Jim Omura, of Cylink, now famous for suing RSADSI). First, photo-reproduced art is almost never confused with the real thing. Surface texture, brush strokes, light at different angles, etc. Second, I could imagine the scanner system using light at two or more angles specifically to provide better protection against forgeries. (In the intended main applicaiton, that of detecting machine part forgeries, the pattern of natural scratches and abrasions, and grains/regions in the metal, would be essentially impossible to mechanically reproduce. Not completely impossible, but very difficult, and hence not cost-effective.) Anyone interested in pursuing this may be find out if Light Signatures still exists. Omura may know, and someone at RSADSI probably would have records of their licensing arrangements. --Tim May -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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RE: Uniforms, Authority, and 'System X'
by nobody＠shell.portal.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Berzerk <berzerk(a)xmission.xmission.com> wrote: > Funny, most the people I know here that procalim this the loudest are > LEFT wing people talking right wing mormons. > ^^^^^^^ > Berzerk. Did you intend to say "morons" or "Mormons"? <g> --- Diogenes -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6 iQCVAgUBLj8Z3+Rsd2rRFQ1JAQHb3wP8DT9tnoskwHnfGFA2kFxU3A/JEPUWpWcD zGcqVm2nJXxYfWMUT5B3XNL9mlMr0kuiL/+WLEtRnpqmc3ia3pE7VHAfa/rJW9Kq kV1F8KrVLt3r5OH/Hldmj0obfA035FLYejJXlSB9hGHBCnMYmFto2VWhyyye7Ca7 qCtyUST5PJM= =mBp5 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: How do I choose constants suitable for Diffe-Hellman?
by Matthew Ghio 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

0x7CF5048D wrote: > How do I choose constants suitable for Diffe-Hellman? > According to _Applied Cryptography_ n should be prime, > also (n-1)/2 should also be prime. g should be a primitive > root of unity mod n. n should be 512 or 1024 bits long. > Are there any other requirements? > > How can I choose such numbers? Are such numbers published > anywhere? Yes, Phil Karn posted a list of such numbers to the list last May, and the program used to generate them. Since some people have expressed their distaste for large files re-posted/forwarded to the list, I won't send it, but you can get it from ftp cs.cmu.edu: /afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr12/mg5n/public/Karn.DH.generator

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Steganography
by Andrew Brown 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Great, I just lost 18 hours worth of messages. If anyone replied to this thread in that time I'd really appreciate a repost, thanks. - Andy

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Re: The Terrorists are coming!
by jdd＠aiki.demon.co.uk 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

In message <Pine.3.87.9408021916.A3618-0100000(a)raven.csrv.uidaho.edu> CatAshleigh writes: > > > first of all the only "muslim" (NOT ARAB, NO ARABS HAVE NUKES, the only > > > > How do you know? > > > that's common knowlage, when Iraq got close to developing them, Israel > bombed them. In this case, "common knowledge" = "not true". > > Ahem. Uzbekistan is Muslim, and is also the third or fourth largest > > nuclear power, and also is in a part of the world where there is a > > long tradition of ... how do I say it gently ... greasing the palm. > > the 5 largest nuclear powers are 1) USA 2) Russia 3) china 4) India > 5) Israel (believed to have about 100 warheads) Uzbekistan has several ICBM sites. Some of the ICBMs are MIRVed, with maybe 10 warheads each. I think that Uzbekistan may outclass China. I have never heard claims that India had more than 100 warheads. The Ukraine also has many ICBMs and I would assume outranks India and Israel. I also believe that France outclasses both India and Israel. And Britain has nuclear submarines carrying thermonuclear weapons, tactical weapons carried by fighter/bombers, etc. What is your authority for this ranking?? > > A large part of the former USSR was Muslim and there were strategic and > > tactical nuclear weapons scattered all over the place (tactical weapons > > are used as mines, fired from artillery pieces, carried by short range > > missiles, and dropped from fighter bombers). If none of these is > > unaccounted for, it is a genuine miracle. > > It was my understanding that only the USA was incompetent enough to develop > "tactical" nuclear weapons where any grunt can drop them and KABLEWY. I DEFINED the term "tactical". I mentioned no grunts. The Soviets certainly had tactical nuclear weapons of every type that I mentioned, and more (nuclear torpedoes, for example). Their plans for the invasion of Europe have been published. These plans included the heavy use of tactical nuclear weapons in every theater. Their strategic weapons would have been used on America. > > Also, there has been quite a lot of press coverage here in the UK of > > the defector from Saudi Arabia who claims that (a) the Saudis backed both > > the Iraqi and the Pakistani nuclear programs and (b) the Saudis at > > least have some nuclear materials. > > The "defector" is an idiot, I saw him interviewed on TV, his IQ seemed to be fairly high. 130+ ? > saudies were too busy building infrastructure > to waist money backing other people's weapons development. But ... no one disputes the claim that the Saudis backed weapons development in Iraq; the Saudis freely admit it. They deny only the reports about nasty (nuclear, chemical, and biological) weapons. > The Saudies backed Iraq because they were fighting Iran and saudies > aren't too fond of Shi'a. And in the next line you admit it yourself. > It might also be noted that the USA is similarly > guilty. By this point, you've lost track of what you are saying. The USA is similarly guilty of funding Iraqi development of nuclear weapons?? [I made a reference to the atomic bombing of Japan] > I'm glad that you mentioned that though, lets remember that it was the > USA who was the "terroist" who bombed the civilians at Nagasaki and > Heroshima (terrorist as defined in the dictionary) My dictionary does not define the term 'terrorist' that way. The Japanese started the war with the US by bombing Pearl Harbor, the US ended it by bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was a nasty war on all sides. Any soldier knows that the best way to win is to induce terror in your opponent. But the term 'terrorist' is not used for soldiers engaged in open warfare. It normally refers to those who make clandestine attacks with the purpose of inducing terror in civilians. If you hijack an airliner, you are a terrorist. If you firebomb Dresden, what you have done may be sickening, but you are not a terrorist. You are a soldier in a brutal war. Most wars of any length get brutal. The style of argument used here is very 1984. Words are used in abnormal ways, people are demonized (Israel, America), contradictions are stated in the same sentence, vilification replaces logic. And also, comments were asked to be sent by email, and then edited before being replied to in public. Not good. -- Jim Dixon

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Clobbered my mail. Anyone have archives?
by mlshew＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Apologes for the bandwidth, but I just destroyed 2 weeks worth of cypherpunks, extropians, and general semantics mail. (Everything from July 20 to August 3.) Would someone with archives please contact me? Thanks. Mark Shewmaker mlshew(a)netcom.com Helpful household tip for the day: When adding files to archives, it is wise to use "lha a ...", instead of "lha m ..."

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