December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

Re: How I Would Ban Strong Crypto in the U.S.
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 7:29 PM 7/16/96, Declan McCullagh wrote: >(Note that Leahy is only occasionally a friend of the Net. His original >crypto bill had troubling additional criminal penalties; he shepharded >Digital Telephony through Congress; he is a co-sponsor of the vile >copyright bill pending right now. In sum, he'd hurt the Net more than help >it. This becomes a problem when netizens hold him up as an champion of our >freedoms -- and then when DT II comes along his fellow senators think it's >okay to vote for it 'cuz Mr. Net, Leahy, is a cosponsor.) By the way, I certainly don't hold him up as a champion of views I can support; I vividly recall his role in the disastrous DT Act. >My rebuttal to Gorelick's fantasy is: well, what about Japan, where the >country's constitution forbids wiretapping? Many countries have constitutions which say fine things, even though the reality is quite different. Some even constitutions which are in many ways better than the U.S. version...until of course the reality on the street is taken into account. Japan has an active SIGINT capability, called Chobetsu, directed domestically at U.S. installations (a la NSA's own SIGINT facility at Misawa AFB) and at domestic companies. Whatever their constitution may say, intercepts are used. Chip companies with facilities in Japan communicate with their facilities with the expectation that MITI and Chobetsu are making all attempts to intercept useful economic intelligence. Information on the intelligence agencies of various countries may be found in the standard reference by Jeffery Richelson, or on the Web at such URLs as http://www.onestep.com/milnet/iagency.htm Here is one entry for Chobetsu: Chobetsu Ground Self-Defense Forces Investigation Japan Division, Second Section, Annex Chamber In short, I don't believe that a New Crypto World Order, with buy-ins already apparent from most European and Asian countries, will be deterred by Japan's nominal promise in its constitution not to wiretap. As a friend of mine who spent the last nine years working for an American chip company in Tsukuba and Tokyo puts it, "Japan is a fucking police state." --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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US govt claims to want to combat "computer terrorism"
by E. ALLEN SMITH 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Somehow, I suspect that their efforts will A: not include any non-GAKed cryptography involvement, and probably minimal GAKed cryptography - less chance of someone using superencryption in a hard-to-detect fashion. I also suspect that they'll be cutting down on anonymnity, or at least trying to. Notice the link to an almost completely unrelated incident, namely the Oklahoma City bombing. -Allen > _ Wednesday July 17 1:28 PM EDT _ >U.S. urges "Manhattan Project" for cyber security > WASHINGTON - The Clinton administration is urged U.S. industry to join > in a sweeping new drive to protect computer networks and other modern > lifelines from attack by terrorists and others. [... Jamie Gorelick, or whatever her name is (yes, the pro-GAKing one), said:] > "What we need, then, is the equivalent of the 'Manhattan Project' > for infrastructure protection, a cooperative venture between the > government and private sector to put our best minds together to come > up with workable solutions to one of our most difficult > challenges," she told the Governmental Affairs permanent > subcommittee on investigations. > President Clinton set the stage for such a blitz Monday with an > executive order setting up a blue-ribbon panel that will recommend > measures to safeguard such lifelines as telecommunications, power > systems, water supply, and gas and oil storage and transportation. The > panel is to be chaired by a presidential appointee drawn from the > private sector and will include representatives from government and > industry. [...] > The administration began to focus on the issue after the April 19, > 1995, bombing that killed 168 people in an Oklahoma City federal > office building. > Copyright, Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved

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Hettinga Rants in WiReD...
by Robert Hettinga 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Now if they'll send me the check... :-) About two months ago, I wrote an 'Idees Fortes' piece for Wired. It's about digital bearer bonds. If I remember the title, it's something like "The Internet as Buttonwood Tree". You guys have heard most of it from me before. Thus, as usual, it is, again, TiReD... People tell me it's in the latest issue, which is out now, but I haven't gone looking for it on the newstand yet. Maybe they'll send me a clipping. With the check. Did I tell you they haven't sent the check. That's a recurring problem with me lately... Maybe I should update my non-repudiation rant... You shoulda seen the first version. Or, maybe you did... I can't remember. The editor said something about it being too out there, or something like that. For WiReD?... ;-) It's late. I'm going to sleep. Cheers, Bob Hettinga ----------------- Robert Hettinga (rah(a)shipwright.com) e$, 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "'Bart Bucks' are not legal tender." -- Punishment, 100 times on a chalkboard, for Bart Simpson The e$ Home Page: http://www.vmeng.com/rah/

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Re: Sternlight on C'punks
by shamrock＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 14:42 7/16/96, Peter D. Junger wrote: >How does one set up a kill-file for a mailing list? I run a Linux box >with sendmail and use the MH mail system. > >My best guess is that I will have to install procmail, but would like >your advice before going to a lot of labor. Procmail is the way to go. -- 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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The Orchid Ring of (Probable) Child Pornographers
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 11:29 AM 7/17/96, John Young wrote: > "16 Indicted On Charges Of Internet Pornography." > > Exon-Reno-ing into one of the more distant frontiers of > sexual crime, a Federal grand jury charged 16 people in > the US and abroad with joining in a pornography ring. > Its members shared homemade pictures, recounted their > sexual experiences with children and even chatted > electronically as two of the men molested a 10-year-old > girl. The case appeared likely to heighten concerns > about the spread of child pornography over the Internet. This incident happened very near me, in Greenfield, California, near Salinas. (No, I was not involved!) Apparently the "Orchid Ring" (or "Orchid Club") was using a password-protected system of some sort, according to an article in today's "Mercury News." The Internet was used, but I don't know the details (e.g., whether IRC was used, ordinary e-mail, or some soft of "intranet" linking the participants). ObList Relevance: Even if they were not using PGP or the like, it is not a leap to imagine the usefullness of crypto for such intranets. It'll be interesting to see how this unfolds. BTW, from the reports it appears likely that these were indeed "child pornographers," not simple violators of the CDA. That is, full-fledged Horsemen of the Infocalypse. As such, potentially powerful ammunition for those who would like restrictions placed on crypto. (Especially if it turns out that law enforcement learned of the Orchid Ring through non-encrypted communications.) --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: Sternlight on C'punks
by shamrock＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 18:11 7/15/96, David Sternlight wrote: [...] >Nothing like a good personal defamation before even reading my posts, eh? >As those who have paid attention know, I post my policy views, not >flame-bait. The idea that I am deliberately trying to start flame wars is >pure paranoia. LOL. ROTF. While the poster of the message to which you are responding may not have read your posts, I have. Hundreds of them. Your USENET posts routinely lead to some of the longest flame wars I have ever seen. While starting flame wars may not be your intention, it most certainly is often the result of your posts. Consequently, you are one of only two people in my global USENET kill file. Not because I hate you, but because I don't enjoy reading the endless flame fests that seem to be the inevitable result of your posts. Deliberate or incidental, you *are* starting flame wars. No offense, -- 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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Re: US versions of Netscape now available---NOT
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 2:03 AM 7/18/96, Tom Weinstein wrote: >Yes. We've had a few thousand people download it. Unfortunately, we >only have one machine serving downloads right now, and it tends to melt >down a couple times a day. I've tried four times, and each time has timed out. (That is, I've filled out the Web form four times and tried n times each iteration...at least I get to experiment with variations on my name and address each time :-}) I guess I'll have to connect to the Italian and/or Swedish sites again. Has the software arrived there yet? --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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"address verification databases"? (was: Netscape download...)
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 9:45 PM 7/17/96, Jeff Weinstein wrote: > Because we have not yet been able to obtain the address verification >databases that we need for Canada. There is someone working on >tracking this down right now. When we get the proper database we >will add access to canada. > > --Jeff Jeff, can you tell us anything more about what these "address verification databases" are? For example, are they derived from government sources? Census data? (Naw, can't be, for at least two obvious reasons). Voting records? (Naw.) Credit card purchases? (??) While I can imagine various commercial firms have indicators that a "T. Christopher May" once lived in Rio Del Mar (the name of a town I lived in, though not an official "Postal Service" address), I really find it odd that, for example, there would be any database that could "parse" the informal information people provide (absent a well-defined set of addresses and precise spellings). In case I'm not making myself clear, there are no "official" addresses of persons in the U.S! Not even the tax system requires registration of all persons and specific addresses. This has come up in several "voter's rights" cases, where persons with no fixed address were nevertheless able to vote. If I, T.C. May, say my address is Moonbeam Trailer Park, who's to say it's not? Maybe it's where I'm staying with a girlfriend, maybe it's where I get my mail, maybe it's my spiritual home. And yet just which "address verification database" could possibly confirm that I live in (or get my mail at the Moonbeam Trailer Park at this exact moment? Absent any laws clearly defining what one's official name is, official phone number is, official zip code is, official address is, etc., just about anything we choose to put down on the Web form is kosher. At least the MIT system was based on ISP domain names, crude as this is, and not on putative names and residential or business addresses. Anyway, I don't know if Netscape is rejecting the information I'm providing them, as I've been unable to get through in roughly 30 connect attempts. But I'm still curious about what these "address verification databases." Sounds ominous to me. --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: "address verification databases"? (was: Netscape download...)
by Duncan Frissell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 12:47 AM 7/18/96 -0700, Jeff Weinstein wrote: > Our database was obtained from American Business Information. >They make those CDROMs with 11 million business names and addresses, >and other such products. There is a link to their web page from our >US download page. > Our verification software does not check that the person whose name >is entered in the form lives at the address entered in the form. >We do verify some parts of the information entered. Things like >is the state code one of the 50 states, does the zip code match >the state, etc. (NOTE - these may not be the exact checks implemented >currently. I have not examined the code myself, but these are the >types of checks being done.) I got my copy after entering my accomodation address in New York City so the address part of the control mechanism is not a problem. DCF

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Russian foreign intelligence CD-ROM
by declan＠well.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

LOOKING FOR A GREAT GIFT IDEA? The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) announced yesterday that it is releasing a six-hour long CD ROM that tells the stirring 75-year history of Soviet and Russian foreign intelligence. The CD ROM will be released in Russian and English versions and sell for about $120. It promises to provide buyers with access to SVR headquarters, and contains interviews with dozens of heretofore mysterious intelligence officers described as having helped shape the existing world order. (Itar-Tass, Interfax, July 16)

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