December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

hurricanes and digital commerce and financial cryptography
by Robert Hettinga 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

--- begin forwarded text X-Sender: rodney(a)module-one.tillerman.nu Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 07:32:20 -0400 To: dcsb(a)ai.mit.edu From: Rodney Thayer <rodney(a)tillerman.nu> Subject: hurricanes and digital commerce and financial cryptography Mime-Version: 1.0 Sender: bounce-dcsb(a)ai.mit.edu Precedence: bulk Reply-To: Rodney Thayer <rodney(a)tillerman.nu> Status: U Ok, Anguilla has had it's liter of rainwater worth of fame from this damn hurricane. Time for South Florida. So, ahem,... It's Thursday and there's a hurricane coming. There's plenty of beer in the starboard refrigerator and plenty of frozen White Castle hamburgers in the port refrigerator. The gas generator is all set to keep the server and the notebook PC battery chargers running. The local badly run telephone monopoly claims it can keep the telephone network up, we'll see if they are telling the truth when there's a foot of water on the road. In spit of the crypto-refugee claims, there's plenty of crypto work here, and this 'offshore' location is only about 100 feet from the mainland so it's not actually exporting code when I drive back to the office from the local computer store with the PC in my car. Here's my commerce question. How often do people expect to cycle private keys from PKI systems? I mean, suppose you have a web server, or an IPSec router, or some related device. I would assume you'd actually generate a new key pair every time you get a new certificate. So, for example, if you get a new certificate every six months for a web server, you would use a new private key. It turns out there is some debate over this. Some people assume the private key lives essentially forever, and that you'd simply get a new certificate against the same old key pair. I myself think this is rock stupid because one of the threat models is that the private key gets stolen, and the longer it's used the longer it's stealable. This relates to hurricanes. If you know any IPSec-aware routers, or any secure web servers, or any other PKI-based devices, and they are in the Florida Keys, you had better assume they'll need new key pairs as of some time Sunday. You see, unless I've missed the "waterproofing" requirements in FIPS 140 (the government security hardware standard), then those boxes will all be under water and will require replacement. So any of these PKI Service Provider models that assume the private key is immortal are about to be proven wrong. And there better be something in your revocation procedure for "the private key was destroyed by an act of nature". Look that up in your CPS and your Digital Signature legislation. But I need to go prepare, it's supposed to start getting exciting here in Clearwater, some time today. [I pass the torch to some DCSB subscriber in the New Orleans area...] -------- Rodney Thayer <rodney(a)tillerman.nu> "layer of sand separate transmitted and received packets". (with apologies to Keith Law son.) For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "dcsb-request(a)ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: rah(a)philodox.com> Philodox Financial Technology Evangelism <http://www.philodox.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

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NRO goes COTS: "Born Secret" ain't what it used to be...
by Robert Hettinga 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

--- begin forwarded text Delivered-To: ignition-point(a)majordomo.pobox.com Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 01:52:01 -0400 From: Richard Sampson <rjsa(a)sprintmail.com> Organization: Unknown Organization MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "ignition-point(a)majordomo.pobox.com" <ignition-point(a)majordomo.pobox.com> Subject: IP: NRO TO LAUNCH SATELLITE TO EXPLORE TECHNOLOGIES By Frank Wolfe Sender: owner-ignition-point(a)majordomo.pobox.com Precedence: list Reply-To: Richard Sampson <rjsa(a)sprintmail.com> Status: U NRO TO LAUNCH SATELLITE TO EXPLORE TECHNOLOGIES By Frank Wolfe Sep. 23, 1998 (DEFENSE DAILY, Vol. 200, No. 24 via COMTEX) -- CHANTILLY, Va.-The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) plans to launch the Space Technology Experiment (STEX) satellite Oct. 1 at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., to test and validate 29 new technologies. "The NRO recognizes the national need and challenges of providing future overhead collection systems with good performance at reduced cost, so we're aggressively pursuing technology options," John Schaub, the STEX program director, told reporters yesterday at NRO headquarters here. The STEX satellite is the first the NRO has announced prior to launch, officials said. With the end of the Cold War and the shrinking defense budget, NRO now believes it needs to justify its programs in a more open forum, officials said. Launched aboard an Orbital Sciences Corp. [ORB] Taurus launch vehicle, STEX is designed to explore new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies to enhance future space missions, like overhead collection, at a lower cost. The 1,540-pound satellite is designed to last two years in space. The STEX program began three years ago when NRO partnered with Lockheed Martin [LMT] in Colorado, the Naval Research Laboratory and the Air Force Research Laboratory. The cost of the satellite--its booster, launch costs and ground support--is less than $90 million, the NRO said. "Keeping the schedule short was a key contributor to keeping the total costs low," Schaub said. "It's significantly cheaper." NRO director Keith Hall has said he wants to increase NRO's research and development efforts from 8 percent to 10 percent of the agency's total budget and STEX is part of that plan (Defense Daily, May 26). STEX is the first in a series of low-cost demonstrations by the NRO's Advanced Systems and Technology Directorate. The technologies to be tested aboard STEX include an Electric Propulsion Demonstration Module using a Russian-built engine, a 51- gigabit solid state data recorder (the world's largest), multifunction solar cells, high-density nickel-hydrogen batteries and an Advanced Tether Experiment, Schaub said. The NRO hopes the Advanced Tether Experiment, which is to use four miles of Spectra 1000-reinforced tether deployed from the satellite, will boost the agency's knowledge about how to do such things as raising and lowering spacecraft by tethers and how to increase the survivability of tethered space systems. "The program has really managed in a streamlined way. We've used commercial practices attempting to speed the development of low cost next generation spacecraft. It's the NRO's version of better, faster, cheaper," Schaub said. -0- Copyright Phillips Publishing, Inc. News provided by COMTEX. [!BUSINESS] [!HIGHTECH] [!INFOTECH] [!PUBLIC+COMPANIES] [!WALL+STREET] [AIR+FORCE] [BUDGET] [COLORADO] [NEWS] [NEWSGRID] [NICKEL] [PHL] [POUND] [RESEARCH] [TECHNOLOGY] [WAR] -- ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----------------------- ********************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: majordomo(a)majordomo.pobox.com with the message: (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address ********************************************** www.telepath.com/believer ********************************************** --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: rah(a)philodox.com> Philodox Financial Technology Evangelism <http://www.philodox.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

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Hello from Hamburg,
by gina.lombartti＠usa.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

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No Subject
by Anonymous 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Just heard a tape of one of his radio appearences from Aug 1998. I'm not a huge fan of country/filk music, but CJ is actually quite good. He apparently wants a "Silly Horses In Trees" song on it to be passed along to cypherpunks... --Declan

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Greenspan Farts, Market Tumbles
by Mark Hedges 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Greenspan Farts, Market Tumbles NEW YORK (AP) -- American stock markets nose-dived today immediately after a press conference at the Federal Reserve Bank, when Alan Greenspan, Fed Chairman, passed gas in an audible expulsion of flatulence. Investors, spooked by the ominous noise, panicked. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 364 points in 20 minutes. Luckily for investors, the Fed Chief then uttered vague, ambiguous statements which could be interpreted as hints of an upcoming rate cut by the masses of illiterate investors. The market soared up more than 450 points, restoring confidence in a bullish market even in the face of the sensational Asian crisis. A key banking player from Merrill Lynch & Co., speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "That really stank. Greenspan must have eaten beans for breakfast." Other bankers at the press conference expressed similar misgivings about Greenspan breaking wind. "It sincerely disturbs me that this man's accidental passing of gas affects market performance in such a substantive way," said another banker. "Doesn't anyone believe that market behavior depends on more than this single man's intestinal fortitude?" Representatives at the Federal Reserve issued only a single statement, saying "Greenspan is in good spirits, and seems to be amused that majorities of investors give his flatulance this power. He is in good health, and his intestinal disturbance passed." The Dow index gained 90 points within 2 minutes of the release of the Fed statement. George Soros, billionaire hedge fund manager and global money market speculator, said regarding Greenspan's noxious vapors, "I don't give a damn what Alan ate for breakfast. This entire spectacle is ridiculous. If you or I farted, as everyone does, probably no one would notice. But for some insane, perhaps inane reason, nearly every American and many foreign investors dote on Greenspan's every comment and action, interpreting them as signs of apocalypse or a wealthy paradise, depending on their mood." In this exclusive report, a senior Fed official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Perhaps I'm the only one in the world who sees rate cuts as a psychological panacea. A truly stable, substantive economy takes more than a slightly lower interest rate in an already flawed system of debt mechanics. We need to restructure the economy on solid grounds with long- term growth goals. The economy must not be structured only to increase the short-term profits of investors who are only interested in the bottom-line monetary numbers, but who do not care about the real effects their money has in our world." Fed officials declined further comment on the incident. Some financial analysts believe Greenspan's foul air is a clear sign the Fed will decide to cut interest rates at next week's strategy meeting. ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.D. section 107, this erroneous and humorous material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for purpose of laughs and giggles only. ----------------------- ________________________________________________________________ Mark Hedges hedges(a)infopeace.com www.infopeace.com "One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish a dictatorship." O'Brien from 1984, George Orwell ________________________________________________________________

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Crisis in the Burg: the 100GB Bug
by Robert Hettinga 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

--- begin forwarded text Resent-Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 14:47:22 -0400 X-Authentication-Warning: qnx.com: localhost [127.0.0.1] didn't use HELO protocol To: 0xdeadbeef(a)substance.abuse.blackdown.org Subject: Crisis in the Burg: the 100GB Bug Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 14:29:38 -0400 From: glen mccready <glen(a)qnx.com> Resent-From: 0xdeadbeef(a)substance.abuse.blackdown.org X-Mailing-List: <0xdeadbeef(a)substance.abuse.blackdown.org> archive/latest/212 X-Loop: 0xdeadbeef(a)substance.abuse.blackdown.org Precedence: list Resent-Sender: 0xdeadbeef-request(a)substance.abuse.blackdown.org Forwarded-by: nev(a)bostic.com Forwarded-by: Dave Del Torto <ddt(a)lsd.com> Forwarded-by: Victor Milan, FBNS Forwarded-By: Charles Reuben <buytexas(a)swbell.net> EXPERTS WARN OF THREAT FROM 100GB BUG Firebringer News Service (FBNS) - Experts warned today of a new and deadly threat to our beleaguered civilization: the 100GB Bug. As most people know, McDonald's restaurant signs show the number of hamburgers the giant chain has sold. That number now stands at 99 billion burgers, or 99 Gigaburgers (GB). Within months or even weeks, that number will roll over to 100GB. McDonald's signs, however, were designed years ago, when the prospect of selling one hundred billion hamburgers seemed unthinkably remote. So the signs have only two decimal places. This means that, after the sale of the 100 billionth burger, McDonald's signs will read "00 Billion Burgers Sold." This, experts predict, will convince the public that, in over thirty years, no McDonald's hamburgers have ever in fact been sold, causing a complete collapse of consumer confidence in McDonald's products. The ensuing catastrophic drop in sales is seen as almost certain to force the already-troubled company into bankruptcy. This, in turn, will push the teetering American economy over the brink, which, finally, will complete the total devastation of the global economy, ending civilization as we know it, and forcing us all to live on beetles. "The people who know -- the sign-makers -- are really scared of 100GB," one expert said. "I don't know about you, but I'm digging up a copy of THE FIELD GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS and heading for the hills." ### reported by Victor Milan, FBNS forward freely, please attribute --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: rah(a)philodox.com> Philodox Financial Technology Evangelism <http://www.philodox.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

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More Tools. No "Futzing" - Mask Pro 2.0
by listmaster＠extensis.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

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This is a good one!
by Edwin E. Smith 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

If you have Microsoft Word (6.0 or later), and have a thesaurus installed, do the following: 1) Open a new, blank document. 2) Type in the words: I'd like to see Bill Clinton resign. 3) Highlight the entire sentence. 4) Click on the tools menu and select thesaurus (tools, language, thesaurus) Look what is immediately highlighted in the selection box.

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No Subject
by Anonymous 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 07:01 AM 9/23/98 -0500, Bruce Schneier wrote: > >Sorry. I am under NDA. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest afterwards; that stuff wears you out ;-)

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No Subject
by Anonymous 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 01:54 AM 9/24/98 -0000, Anonymous wrote: >There is an inherent flaw in the jury system. You get summoned and are >legally required to blow the entire day down at the courthouse. If you're >a student you miss classes, and if you have a job you miss that too. You >have to pay for transportation, parking, food, and whatever else you need. >In return, you get paid something like $3, which often isn't even enough >to cover the parking and get told every five minutes that this or that >will get you, as a juror or potential juror, thrown in jail. Basically this is unconstitutional seizure of your time = money. This is slavery, which is prohibited, again by that pesky constitution. The postal service sends datagrams; they are not acknowledged. But you can't subvert if you don't participate.

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