December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

take the pledge
by Perry E. Metzger 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Look, folks, we all know that 99% of what David Sternlight posts is garbage. Why don't we all pledge not to answer any of his posts, and then he'll go away. If necessary, someone can be appointed to post a weekly "the views expressed by David are junk and we are deliberately not replying to them directly" message. David has plenty of places to argue with the wind. We don't need to add this one. I'd like to ask people to publically pledge that they will not reply to David's messages. This is such a pledge. Perry

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Re: Opiated file systems
by Deranged Mutant 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

On 18 Jul 96 at 11:01, Adam Back wrote: > For plausibility it would probably be best if very few people used the > duress key feature. And how can you guarantee that? Also: an attacker doesn't care about what percentage of (other) users use duress feature of not. His concern is whether you use it. Note that you'd have to be careful of what you say and do over email in the clear (or encrypted to someone cooperating with an attacker): if you post an excerpt of source code or maybe somehting like Edupage, or if you save mail, there might be reason enough for the attacker to expect to see some of that on your encrypted fs after he's rubber-hosed your key from you. If he doesn't, and he knows you have a possibility of using the duress-key feature... Oh yeah. Psychology is a good way of determining the likelihood of using a duress system. With the extra work and overhead of a duress system, you're better off using stego on some gifs or graphics files. Rob --- No-frills sig. Befriend my mail filter by sending a message with the subject "send help" Key-ID: 5D3F2E99 1996/04/22 wlkngowl(a)unix.asb.com (root@magneto) AB1F4831 1993/05/10 Deranged Mutant <wlkngowl(a)unix.asb.com> Send a message with the subject "send pgp-key" for a copy of my key.

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Re: MSNBC and cookies
by E. ALLEN SMITH 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: IN%"junger(a)pdj2-ra.F-REMOTE.CWRU.Edu" "Peter D. Junger" 19-JUL-1996 13:57:57.15 >It's a nuisance, but I suppose there is no reason that a commercial >service can't do such a thing. But what happens when one tries to >access it with Lynx? At least with VAX/VMS Lynx (I assume the other version would be doing the same thing), you get stopped at "Welcome to MSNBC [IMAGE]". Both links lead to the same page, namely the one you're already on. -Allen

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Re: Gorelick testifies before Senate, unveils new executive order
by shamrock＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 3:04 7/18/96, David Sternlight wrote: >Serious studies have shown that the kinds of protections to make the >systems we depend on robust against determined and malicious attackers (say >a terrorist government, or one bent on doing a lot of damage in retaliation >for one of our policies they don't like), have costs beyond the capability >of individual private sector actors. Your friendly neighborhood ISP, for >instance, probably can't affort the iron belt and steel suspenders needed >to make his system and its connectivity sabotage-proof, and so on. Even >cheap but clever solutions involving encryption in such systems require >standards and common practices across many institutions. However, the neighorhood IPS doesn't need the kind of defenses required for the powergrid and other crucial systems. The systems that do require such heightend security are typically run by parties that can afford such security. If they choose not to implement them, then it stands to reason that their threat evaluation does not deem it necessary. Let market forces govern, lest we spend money on countermeasures for inflated threats. -- Lucky Green <mailto:shamrock@netcom.com> PGP encrypted mail preferred. Defeat the Demopublican Unity Party. Vote no on Clinton/Dole in November. Vote Harry Browne for President.

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Ignorance is Strength, Escrow is Security
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 9:01 PM 7/19/96, Steve Reid wrote: >I'm sure the evil Iraqi terrorists (and other horsemen) are snooping the >line, using their newly purchased PCs and FPGAs to crack the 40-bit crypto >so that they can gain the wonderful advantages of 128-bit SSL, which will >of course prevent wiretaps from working, thus aiding them in their >terrorist attacks and bringing about the end of the world as we know it. The Iraqi People's Benovolent Security Protection Brigade (IPBSPB) has no need to snoop the lines, at least for my communications, as I am voluntarily escrowing my communications keys as well as my storage key with the IPBSPB. To the United States government requesting a global key escrow regimen, be careful what you ask for, as you may get it. (Question: I know that the Iraqi IPBSPB has close relations with the French SDECE, so does this mean I can just escrow my keys with the Iraqis and assume they have let the boys at SDECE get copies?) "America will be stronger when 137 nations of the world and their notoriously corrupt security services have access to all communications of Americans." Ignorance is Strength, Escrow is Security, Arbeit Macht Frei. --Tim May Boycott "Big Brother Inside" software! We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, we know that that ain't allowed. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Licensed Ontologist | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Re: ABC News on internet telephony
by Deranged Mutant 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

ISPs have functioned better using flat monthly rates, and the biggies are like AT&T are going in the same direction for internet access. I don't see this as being 'counter-intuitive' at all. The costs to the ISPs and telcos aren't really based on where you call or how long you are on anymore. Big questions are how the main hubs for the internet are maintained (esp. when some of the big telcos maintain them... a conflict of interest, perhaps). Will fees become too much that smaller ISPs are put out of business, or that we'll start seeing ISPs merge? (Remember when there were mainly local cable companies?) On 18 Jul 96 at 11:03, David Sternlight wrote: [..] > This is the rankest speculation on my part, but could some of the bigger, > smarter phone company cum internet providers have done some serious > analysis and concluded that we're moving away from distance-based rates for > voice calls. Might they even have examined where we'll be in the next ten > years (with ADSL, etc.) and decided that the network technology and simple > market economics makes fixed charges per "line" more profitable to them > than metered usage? Maybe this is wishful thinking on my part, but some of > the bigger actors are starting to behave in a surprisingly > counter-intuitive (based on the way we stereotype them) fashion on this > topic. --- No-frills sig. Befriend my mail filter by sending a message with the subject "send help" Key-ID: 5D3F2E99 1996/04/22 wlkngowl(a)unix.asb.com (root@magneto) AB1F4831 1993/05/10 Deranged Mutant <wlkngowl(a)unix.asb.com> Send a message with the subject "send pgp-key" for a copy of my key.

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Re: Opiated file systems
by Deranged Mutant 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

On 18 Jul 96 at 22:48, Adam Back wrote: [..] > The whole system should be designed to withstand scrutiny as to > whether or not there is a duress file system on any given disk, on the > assumption that the opponent as full access to the source. > > ie. the attacker can not tell without the hidden file system key (if > one exists) whether the unused space on your drive is really just > that: unused space filled with garbage, or whether it is in fact > another encrytped filesystem. There has to be a way to tell the system that the sectors are used when not the drive isn't mounted and the filesystem isn't active. > They might be suspicious, but I don't think they would be able to > claim you were in comptempt of court, if you provide the 1st key and > claim there is no other key: the software has support for either 1 > or 2 filesystems. Having a copy of the driver is enough to arouse suspicion. If they don't find anything useful in that one partition, they'll assume the second is in use and that you're not giving up the key. You may very well get accused of maintaining a second system even if you are not and do not have anything incriminating in the one encrypted fs. --- No-frills sig. Befriend my mail filter by sending a message with the subject "send help" Key-ID: 5D3F2E99 1996/04/22 wlkngowl(a)unix.asb.com (root@magneto) AB1F4831 1993/05/10 Deranged Mutant <wlkngowl(a)unix.asb.com> Send a message with the subject "send pgp-key" for a copy of my key.

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Re: Responding to Pre-dawn Unannounced Ninja Raids
by Hallam-Baker 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Jonathon Blake wrote: > On Fri, 19 Jul 1996, Hallam-Baker wrote: > > > dangerous people arround besides the government and the government is the > The _only_ difference between a gang of thugs, and a government, > is that the latter admit to being thugs, whilst the former deny > that. They both operate on the same prinicple -- steal from > others, and kill those that oppose them. The people of the USA fortunately disagree. Its no coincidence that Limbaugh has been unable to continue his tv show after his coverage of the OKC bombing. It is not socialy acceptable to call for the murder of Police officers in most countries. By doing so you are discrediting yourself and those who support you. > > only agency that is going to protect society from them. If you don't like > > Governments are the agencies _most_ likely to abuse one's > freedom. << Take Northern Ireland, as an example of what > happens, when a government tries to pacify a region, by > prohibiting everything. >> Troops were sent into Northern Ireland originally to protect the Catholic minority from the protestants. The two communities have been murdering each other for centuries and there are bigots on both sides who think that the events of three hundred years ago "prove" that the other is evil incarnate. Do you support the "punishment beatings" performed by the IRA. So far this year they have committed grievous bodliy harm against 270 people. They have also murdered 4 people. There have been no deaths from police or army use of firearms in that period. Your assertion is therefore false. If you want to discuss the politics of Ireland you should at least visit the place. You will find remarkably less sympathy for your romantic visions of bloodshed amongst the people who have to live with the consequences. The British people have little sympathy for either side and would quite happily leave the two sides to slaughter each other if it wasnt for the fact that the majority of the population wish to remain British and have voted to remain so in regular referenda and national elections. Phill

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RE: Inventor of radio...
by Gregory Ellison 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Friday, July 19, 1996 7:14 AM, Jim Choate wrote: >> I would like to correct a misconception about who is credited with the >> invention of radio. Nikola Tesla has held the credit for the creation since >> the resolution of the original lawsuit in the mid-80's. I've heard this decision referred to many times but have been unable to locate any specifics. Can anyone provide a pointer? -- Gregory <gregorye(a)microsoft.com> "Opinions expressed herein are entirely my own and not the opinions of my employer." My PGP key is on the keyservers >

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Re: Kellstrom Calls for DT Funding
by jim bell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 02:33 PM 7/19/96 -0400, Duncan Frissell wrote: >In a "briefing" on TWA 800 when one of the reporters tossed Big Jim >Kellstrom (Deputy Director in Charge of the New York Office) of the FBI a >softball question about what he needed to fight terrorism; he took the >opportunity to call for full funding of the Digital Telephony Bill. He said >the usual about how bad guys conspire and we need to tap. Too bad these people aren't required to show specific examples where the "bad guys" got away as a result of their failure to be able to do wiretaps. Jim Bell jimbell(a)pacifier.com

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