December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

GATT and RSA
by rishab＠dxm.ernet.in 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

grendel(a)netaxs.com: > Anyone know how GATT would affect this, if passed? ABC News ran a > short blurb a few nights ago about how it contained intellectual property > provisions, and that patents would be honored worldwide. (?) What effect > would this have on the distribution of PGP, and other software that uses > RSAREF? GATT doesn't say that the world has to adopt US patent laws. It insists on the acceptance of certain categories of biotech and pharmaceutical patents, but not algorithms or software. Nor does registering a global patent become significantly easier - you still have to file (and pay for) patents in each country you want to 'work' it. Filing first in PCT (Patent Coorporation Treaty) signatories makes the process somewhat cheaper, that's all. So GATT is unlikely to affect RSA. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rishab Aiyer Ghosh "In between the breaths is rishab(a)dxm.ernet.in the space where we live" rishab(a)arbornet.org - Lawrence Durrell Voice/Fax/Data +91 11 6853410 Voicemail +91 11 3760335 H 34C Saket, New Delhi 110017, INDIA

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Re: Cypherpunks@hks.net service
by owner-cypherpunks＠hks.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In article <199412031706.MAA07494(a)bb.hks.net>, <pfarrell(a)netcom.com> wrote: >The point is that if Eric insists on arbitrary rules that >threaten the list, some bright c'punk will "write code" to circumvent >the assinine rule. Use technology to solve problems... Not exactly; that's how the thought train began, but something that was just for circumventing the rule would have a slightly different solution: generate a new key for each post, sign with the key, and throw it away (so that no information would be contained in the signature). The signatures from the current system does contain some information. I might yet still implement something that does the above: at this point, it's pretty trivial, aside from hacking PGP to generate a key with a smaller than 384-bit modulus (to conserve computrons). As an aside, this is my general approach to things: I'll start off in a particular direction and then vary it as I think of new things. I only mention it here because I often state that I'm going to do something and then the result is somewhat different than my original summary. I've done this a couple times here, and I'm hoping that explaining this will make me appear, well, less flakey. - -- Todd Masco | "Roam home to a dome, Where Georgian and Gothic once stood cactus(a)hks.net | Now chemical bonds alone guard our blond(e)s, cactus(a)bb.com | And even the plumbing looks good." - B Fuller - --- [This message has been signed by an auto-signing service. A valid signature means only that it has been received at the address corresponding to the signature and forwarded.] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 Comment: Gratis auto-signing service iQBFAwUBLuDOUioZzwIn1bdtAQGbjQF/R5vX8/XFc495w2V6xC6IhnPgR6hjGPh1 gxDqr/CM32axC7YJUmoaZOnHbnNvcvBs =L96u -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: Disclaimer within signed body?
by owner-cypherpunks＠hks.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In article <199412031833.KAA17387(a)largo.remailer.net>, Eric Hughes <eric(a)remailer.net> wrote: >Now as far as aesthetics, this has got a lot of screenjunk in it. It >does, however, represent exactly what is going on in a way that the >right kind of MIME capable reader can make exact use of. > >I'm not advocating this. I do think, though, that a minimal solution >to all the criteria at once looks a lot like this. Somewhat, yes. As the aesthetics are important to me (which is why I avoid MIME as a rule), I'll avoid doing a MIME-compliant solution until MIME is integrated better with MUAs. Which in practice means that until it's part of emacs/vm, since that's what I use. I'm not currently concerned that the separation be computer-parsable, as long as it's human-parsable. - -- Todd Masco | "Roam home to a dome, Where Georgian and Gothic once stood cactus(a)hks.net | Now chemical bonds alone guard our blond(e)s, cactus(a)bb.com | And even the plumbing looks good." - B Fuller - --- [This message has been signed by an auto-signing service. A valid signature means only that it has been received at the address corresponding to the signature and forwarded.] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 Comment: Gratis auto-signing service iQBFAwUBLuDQgCoZzwIn1bdtAQF7ogGAtHI2XwHHZLKO3JqFwcGU3C9Uhjrgfd4j vS4DcKwlV/Ansmc2Z19IGwBQZpz6yctD =hcR5 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Cypherpunk Commitment? [Was: We are ALL guests (except Eric)]
by Michael Pierson 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Eric Hughes <eric(a)remailer.net> wrote: > ... It's comfortable to write manifestos, express your position, > be indignant at the government, and teach privacy. We generally live > in free societies where there is little recourse taken against speech. > It is must less comfortable to use tortious cryptography, run a > remailer, finesse export controls, and deploy code. Far and away the > most extreme reactions have come from what people did and not from > what they said. Speech affects the world, but action affects it more, > because every word that affects the world only through a sequence of > body motions. Cypherpunks get listened to not because we talk a lot; > that's insufficient. Cypherpunks get listened to because we do > things. I think you make a cogent point here. I agree that it is insufficient for cypherpunks to merely pay lip service to their ideals if they wish to see them prevail. Especially when those who want to build a Surveillance State Infrastructure into the National Information Infrastructure are busy writing legislation, cultivating their media assets, and cutting back room deals. I believe that John Philpot Curran's 18th century assertion that "It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become prey to the active." is true for cypherpunks today. The proponents of government mandated key escrow are certainly "doing something", and in the absence of an active and coordinated opposition, I think they will get their way, and that troubles me deeply. I doubt that they will wait long for the widespread use of seemlessly integrated OLE, OpenDoc compliant crypto tools to become a reality before they make their move. If these tools should arrive and come into widespread use in time to make a difference, it will be because the developers of these tools and those advocating their use were driven to take action by an awareness of the urgent sociopolitical imperatives involved, not the economic ones. I think most of us here appreciate what an insidiously malignant menace government mandated key escrow represents to the survival of our right to privacy and our liberty in general, both now, and even more so in the pervasively networked world we will inhabit in the 21st century. It is my deep conviction that the battle now brewing over the right of the people to freely use cryptography is of the most crucial consequence for the freedom that we, and our children, and our grandchildren will have in the next century and beyond. And it is a battle that will be lost if we don't commit our _deeds_ as well our words to the struggle. This is cause worth "doing something" about. This is a cause worth making sacrifices for. I thought cypherpunks were supposed to be part of the vanguard. If not us who? The unencumbered freedom to use cryptography to preserve our privacy will not prevail on its own; the forces arrayed against it are powerful and determined. If it prevails, it will be because we fought with greater determination, intelligence, and commitment, and were diligent in enlisting allies to our cause by convincing them it was a righteous one. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBLuCMnNGJlWF+GPx9AQEtFAQAyJDnJxlk9LcWZl0tjYdMQFs4jI5jPCJr yWBF6y0s4AONotRiwFg8E8leWLHTLKuZvTn92gBNXNC+CMWDn6XZjSuoJbygqmnJ xykHhezOHnn2GcFcSflduLSbBLj76Rpt8odR7uNJ6vDGO8kNRHi0rvV+siGMzKfD 90MfPW2r9sY= =k1vi -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: Brands excluded from digicash beta
by Alex Strasheim 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > The facts of the matter is that First Virtual currently provides a net > benefit by moving real value (e.g. dollars) around, and Digicash does > not. Until the Digicash system can move real value, there is no > reason to use it. I think I'm missing something here. Isn't the Digicash system in a beta-phase? At this point, aren't they just trying to work out the kinks and show people that it works? Obviously, a system that hasn't been deployed isn't as useful as one that has. The question is, once Digicash is released for real, how will it compare to FV? I don't have any Digicash software yet, but I'm very interested in it, and I wonder if anyone else feels that a Digicash beta testers mail list would be a good thing. I'd like to hear what you guys think of it. == Alex Strasheim | finger astrashe(a)nyx.cs.du.edu alex(a)omaha.com | for my PGP 2.6.1. public key -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBLuDMqxEpP7+baaPtAQFQ0gP+PZzEx6Z6fQiURXCUtnRnxeVZEVweZ4K3 fLRhvC8nizTdQKPqMQcGQzd/jRqV1zLiPuEKwTLTsz9onEqwaDF7t1sg5DCbqlXj KrYTfKXxOyCDY+knc2Bv72TxLcO0V2Rk07McgDfufLel+GUrdCXA4zHc/nTdktKV KgbF5+Nse/k= =WyDJ -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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No Subject
by Anonymous 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Has anyone seen this before: 0h n0!@# Y0r SySteM hAz bEeN TAkeN 0veR bY k0mUTeR P1rAteS!@# _._ Y0 h0 h0 aNNa b0ttLe 0f rUm!@# / \ _____________ __/ L0CK! \__ / \ Avast, Ya SkUrvEE d0g!@# (_____________)| Arrr! I'm a | Yav bEEn b0ArDeD by tHe |\___// | | Pirate! | M0st r00tenEst, t00t1nezT | ||| O | / \_____________/ C0mpUtEr p1rAteZ tHat evER \ v / / d1D sAle thE s1l1k0n seA!@# \"/ Hay Sk0Tt!@ " H0wZ j1m d01ng?!?@# L egion ________________ 0 f LaRrY L0Ck |L0CK's G0al aNd | C 0dE SeZ: | Misshun!@#: | K ydz \||// /~~~~~~~\ |________________| [tHeSE / ! Oo | Ptttht! | | 2 B s0 El1tE | KarAkturz ---{ @ ()^() /\_______/ | ThAt 0ur HedZ | d0n't MeaN Sh1t.] \ # (U) | X-PL0De!@#$ | |________________| "Man...we're so lame, it hurts..." Th1z M0TD 1z MuCh beTTeR thAn tHe oNe thAt wAz up heRe B 4!@# GirLiee Usurz!? WaReZ the G1rl1e uZurz!?

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pirate picture
by anonymous-remailer＠xs4all.nl 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Damn, those philosphy department doctoral candidates from Columbia are at it again. > Has anyone seen this before: > > > > 0h n0!@# Y0r SySteM hAz bEeN > TAkeN 0veR bY k0mUTeR P1rAteS!@# > _._ Y0 h0 h0 aNNa b0ttLe 0f rUm!@# > / \ _____________ > __/ L0CK! \__ / \ Avast, Ya SkUrvEE d0g!@# > (_____________)| Arrr! I'm a | Yav bEEn b0ArDeD by tHe > |\___// | | Pirate! | M0st r00tenEst, t00t1nezT > | ||| O | / \_____________/ C0mpUtEr p1rAteZ tHat evER > \ v / / d1D sAle thE s1l1k0n seA!@# > \"/ Hay Sk0Tt!@ > " H0wZ j1m d01ng?!?@# L egion > ________________ 0 f LaRrY L0Ck > |L0CK's G0al aNd | C 0dE SeZ: > | Misshun!@#: | K ydz \||// /~~~~~~~\ > |________________| [tHeSE / ! Oo | Ptttht! | > | 2 B s0 El1tE | KarAkturz ---{ @ ()^() /\_______/ > | ThAt 0ur HedZ | d0n't MeaN Sh1t.] \ # (U) > | X-PL0De!@#$ | > |________________| "Man...we're so lame, it hurts..." > > Th1z M0TD 1z MuCh beTTeR thAn tHe oNe thAt wAz up heRe B 4!@# > > GirLiee Usurz!? WaReZ the G1rl1e uZurz!?

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free nntp servers
by Erik Selberg 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

(apologies if this is as inciteful to asking for ftp servers on alt.sex) Are there any good free nntp servers (preferably US) that carry most/all of the alt groups and some of the regional (ba, pa) groups as well? Thanks, -Erik work: (206) 543-7798 Erik Selberg play: (206) 517-3039 speed(a)cs.washington.edu I get by with a little help from my friends...

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Re: Mighty morphing power cypherpunks
by Rick Busdiecker 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: jamesd(a)netcom.com (James A. Donald) Date: Fri, 2 Dec 1994 17:13:28 -0800 (PST) My point was that if some of the autonag messages go astray, or are deliberately misled, who cares? I suspect that LD would love to play around with this feature. Spoof a letter from someone and you can make the cypherpunks send that person some hate mail. Basically, I just think it's a mistake. I think that annotating a message as it passes through cypherpunks -- such as cypherpunks(a)hks.net does -- is a fine idea. However, I think that adding new ways for attackers to make privacy advocates look bad isn't a great idea. The proposed system is for everyone, not just pseudonyms. If I meant pseudonyms, I would have said pseudonyms, not nyms. I understood that and followed the same convention. I'm not worried about pseudonyms -- they land in the bit bucket somewhere. I'm more concerned about spoofed real addresses. Rick

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The Emperor's New Brain (fwd)
by lmccarth＠freya.cs.umass.edu 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Sincere apologies if someone's sent this to the list before.... Forwarded message: > This comes to you courtesy of Del's friend Joe Levy: > > Would you all mind distributing this as much as possible? I, and every > net-surfer who is concerned about her/his rights, are trying to stop Big > Brother from taking over, and need all the help we can get. There may be more > serious letters later on. For now, just enjoy a slightly ridiculous one. All > the best, and don't get struck by flying pygmies, as always. > Forever, > Joe > > > The Emperor's New Brain > by Blimix (Joe Levy) > > (With apologies to Hans Christian Anderson.) > > Once upon a time, there was an Emperor. He had been voted > into office fairly easily, because he had managed to impress people > with his brain. But once he realized that the job demanded more, > he said, "My brain is too small!" So he had posters hung on every > blank wall in the kingdom, proclaiming the need for skilled neural > surgeons/tailors to weave him a new, better, bigger brain. "Soon," > he thought, "I will have a good brain and will be able to govern my > empire properly, and all the people will love me, and I'll be so > cool that there'll be chicks hanging around me all the time... > Maybe I'll even get a car, or put up the bestest BBS in the > world..." and so on. What he didn't know what that he was saying > all of this out loud, and that a small band of rogues had been > shadowing him for the duration of his monologue. When the Emperor > had left to pursue other activities, due to the rather self- > exciting nature of his mostly derailed train of thought, the rogues > spoke amongst themselves. > "Will you listen to that, mate?" commented NSA. "The poor > chap really hasn't got a clue!" > "Yeah, let's put him out of our misery," remarked FBI. > "Be quiet, will you?" said CIA. "You dolt, don't you see the > prospects here? We can rule this place. NSA and NIST have the > plan. Where is NIST, anyway?" > "He'll be along, shortly. He had some business with that > hotshot DES. Chopped half of DES's - thing - off, he did. Ugly > business," replied NSA. > > * * * > > "Sire, there are some important-looking men to see you," said > the page. > The Emperor jumped. "What?!? Oh! Okay, I'll be down > shortly. Um, you didn't... see anything... did you?" > "No, Sire," the page replied immediately. > The Emperor left to wash his hand. > > * * * > > "You mean you can weave a tremendous brain for me if I just > bring you all the doors, window blinds and roofs in the kingdom, > using your Clippers?" > "Yeah, but there's also the matter of payment," said CIA. > NSA spoke. "We understand that you have, in the castle > vaults, a supply of magical potions of growth. Those will do > nicely." > "But those are the only ones in the kingdom! We have saved > them since the days of my great-great-great-great-grandmother, > what's-her-name!" > FBI stood to his full, rather impressive height, and looked > down at the suddenly small-feeling Emperor. "This is what's best > for the kingdom, isn't it? You need a brain, and we need the > potions. Do you really want to argue?" > "Uh... of course not." was the meek response. > "Good. Now that that's settled-" began NSA. > "But what if the peasants want to keep their roofs and doors > and blinds?" interrupted the Emperor. > NSA confidently replied, "They won't. We'll make sure that > they know it's all for the common good. Besides, those things are > only needed to conceal things. People who have nothing to hide > have no cause to resent this, do they? Besides, if against all > likelihood, our idea is rejected by the public, we can simply put > everything that we took away back again. And don't think for a > moment that we would be looking into the houses of innocents. No, > we can help you take care of your subjects. They will look up to > us as kindly Big Brothers." > "I'm quite capable of taking care of the kingdom myself," > asserted the Emperor. > "Nonsense," CIA remarked. "We're the ones building you this > brain, right?" > "Right," the Emperor acquiesced, though he wasn't quite sure > that the conclusion followed logically from this. He felt there > was something slightly wrong, but since he could not tell what, he > decided not to risk making a fool of himself. > "Then we can begin!" roared FBI. > > * * * > > At the scoundrels' insistence, the Emperor ordered every > construction worker in the kingdom to work on the dismantling of > the houses, using their new Clippers. Thus did the infrastructure > suffer, as roads crumbled, and prices rose, while the economy began > a slow but accelerating collapse. Just inside the castle, a ragged > collection of peasants met with the Emperor. > "Why are your goons doing this to us?" cried one woman. "I > can't get to work anymore!" > And old man spoke up. "Without a roof, we can't keep the > rains off of us! My whole family has pneumonia!" Several others > shouted their agreement. > "I was willing to sacrifice for the kingdom," lamented a > former merchant. "I willingly gave them all of my wood, and put up > paper instead. They ripped it down! And they didn't even use it! > They just said I couldn't have anything covering me." > "I'm sure there are perfectly reasonable explanations for all > of this." > Suddenly four towering figures entered, and herded the > peasants outside. "There's no such thing as rain! Stop > complaining!" A few families were trampled during the confusion, > but no one noticed. > > * * * > > It was only a week later that the smoke was first seen. > Behind the castle, the tremendous stockpiles of collected wood were > being burned. > "My kingdom is collapsing!" cried the Emperor. > "And we know why!" exclaimed FBI. "There are secret societies > of witches that oppose us. But our spies, KGB and Mccarthy, have > been rooting them out. That is what the fires are for." > "But you're burning the wood that you said you would save!" > "SO WHAT?!?!?!?" > "Okay, as long as you put it that way. What about my brain?" > This caught FBI by surprise, for he had completely forgotten > about the deal. Luckily, CIA happened to be in the room, and > glibly replied, "The chemical reactions going on right now are the > final processes in the construction of the brain." > "Oh, goody." The prospect of the new brain cheered up the > Emperor, and he forgot about his dying kingdom. > > * * * > > Witch-burnings were becoming common. The rogues, now grown to > immense size, regularly reached into houses, plucking out the > occupants, and placed them on the huge bonfires. The first ones > taken, of course, were the poor peasants who had originally spoken > up. Then, anyone who had a brain was considered a potential > threat, and made into a scapegoat. > "What did this woman do that makes you believe she's a witch?" > the Emperor asked. > FBI replied, "She turned me into a n-" > "Shut up," said NSA. "We discovered a rumor about strange > activities going on in her house. We checked it out, and surely > enough, we found this." He triumphantly held up a rather well- > executed painting of a swan launching itself into flight from an > alpine lake. > "What is its relevance to witchcraft?" > NSA began, "First, the canvas can be used to shield her from > sight, so she obviously has something to hide. Also, the drawing > itself is obviously a dangerous example of freedom propaganda. As > we all know, freedom cannot be tolerated. We also intercepted this > letter from her to her band. It proves that she and the twenty > other people named here are witches." > Working her mouth free of the gag, the woman cried, "I didn't > write that! It's not even in my hand-" FBI cut off her protest by > flinging her into the blazing conflagration. > > * * * > > NSA congratulated his friends. "Well, lads, we've made a > killing. Besides having the power to do whatever we want to > whomever we want, our Clippers are selling like wildfire, since > they're the only product that anyone is allowed to buy now. Can > you believe we actually managed to convince people that those > things are useful?" They all laughed heartily at this. "It's > probably time to invite the Emperor back into the castle." > At their call, his Excellency dutifully entered. "We finished > your brain last night, and implanted it while you were sleeping in > the stables," claimed CIA. "It is indeed huge, and, being made > from pure energy (released by the burning wood), weighs virtually > nothing. We fashioned it in such a way that only a person without > personal problems can see it, so that you may judge this > characteristic in people with ease." > FBI held up a mirror to facilitate the Emperor's viewing of > his new brain. "How do you like it?" > Though he saw nothing but his own reflection, he said, "It is > a good brain. I like the laurels particularly. Let's hold a > parade, so that all may see The Emperor's New Brain!" > > * * * > > And so it was. The day came, and the broken people trudged > through the pitted streets to finally view the great result of > their even greater sacrifice. As they waited expectantly for the > parade train, they wondered, "Was the loss of our privacy and > freedom of thought worth a slightly more effective government?" > But they could do nothing more than wonder, for to speak thusly > would mean certain death. So, they mutely held their only > possessions, the Clippers, which had been the instruments of their > downfall. > A wave of excitement swept through the crowd, as the arrival > of the parade was heralded. All knew of the wondrous properties > that the Brain possessed, and were eager to see it for themselves. > As the crowd held its breath, the Emperor came into view. And no > one was surprised that they could not see the brain, because they > knew perfectly well that they had problems. But this could not be > admitted. Words of praise floated through the air. "How regal it > is!" "That brain is huge!" "I like the color scheme." "Now he'll > be able to solve all of our problems." > "That brain doesn't exist," said a junior programmer. > "Well, neither do we," said a philosopher. > "No, I mean it! There's no brain there!" the programmer > insisted. And gradually, the crowd became aware of the truth of > his words. > "The Emperor doesn't have a brain!" they all shouted. They > picked up fragments of concrete that had once been a sidewalk, and > started throwing them. Luckily for the Emperor, this behavior was > quelled when FBI stepped on the offending parties. > The survivors were too weak, due to lack of protection from > the elements, to fight back. And while the all-powerful villains > lived comfortably for the rest of their lives, a nation died. > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little > temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin > Franklin > > Don't let Clipper be YOUR downfall. Learn as much as you can, > than do whatever you can to educate others, and let your > representatives and senators know how you feel. Wired is a good > source of information. Read the April issue. Or gopher to > wired.com to see their database. Lazarus Long and I will be > putting up Clipper-dedicated databases of our own. (More > information to follow.) > > Y Gwir Yn Erbyn Byd, > Blimix > jl0637(a)rachel.albany.edu > > p.s. Please feel free to distribute this story at will. I merely > ask that you do not change or delete any part of it, from the title > line to this post-script. > - -- > Adam Lindsey Jacobs | "Thinking is the hardest work > bullfrog(a)jaflrn.morse.net | there is, which is probably the > Long Island, New York, U.S.A. | reason why so few engage in it." - --- [This message has been signed by an auto-signing service. A valid signature means only that it has been received at the address corresponding to the signature and forwarded.] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 Comment: Gratis auto-signing service iQBFAwUBLuEm6SoZzwIn1bdtAQGeiwGAjvh39y5hWN9+zNUVHGz8W2KHkVIYsdvR MSzDCX+lV4LRH2gc0c5IXp9CypYJke8h =U7j5 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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