December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

FWD: Read this. Now. And *act* on it. (was re: Building cryptoarchives worldwide to foil US-built Berlin Walls)
by Robert Hettinga 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

It's time, folks. They can't win if we do anything at all, but they *will* win if we do nothing. Robert Hettinga --- begin forwarded text X-Authentication-Warning: toad.com: Host localhost [127.0.0.1] didn't use HELO protocol To: cryptography(a)c2.net, gnu(a)toad.com Subject: Building crypto archives worldwide to foil US-built Berlin Walls Date: Mon, 07 Dec 1998 15:23:54 -0800 From: John Gilmore <gnu(a)toad.com> Sender: owner-cryptography(a)c2.net The US Wassenaar initiative is an attempt to deny the public not only all future strong crypto developments, but all existing ones. As today's message from Denmark makes clear, the freedom-hating bureaucrats are threatening to prosecute a citizen merely for publishing PGP on his web page. Let's at least ensure that they don't eliminate *today's* strong crypto, by replicating crypto archives behind each Berlin Wall they threaten to erect. Today we depend on a small number of archives (in a small number of countries) containing source and binaries for PGP, SSH, Kerberos, cryptoMozilla, IPSEC, and many other useful crypto tools that we use daily. Let's replicate these archives in many countries. I call for volunteers in each country, at each university or crypto-aware organization, to download crypto tools while they can still be exported from where they are, and then to offer them for export from your own site and your own country as long as it's legal. (The Wassenaar agreement is not a law; each country has merely agreed to try to change its own laws, but that process has not yet started.) And if at some future moment your own government makes it illegal for you to publish these tools, after all your appeals are denied, all the pro-bono court cases rejected, and all the newspaper coverage you can get has been printed, then restrict your web site so that only your own citizens can get the tools. That'll still be better than the citizens of your country having NO access to the tools of privacy! (I suggest putting these tools on a Web site on a machine that you own, rather than on a web site where you buy space from someone else. That way there'll be nobody for the freedom-squashers to threaten except you.) I'm sure that John Young's excellent http://jya.com site will be happy to provide an index of crypto archives around the world, if people will send him notices at jya(a)pipeline.com as your sites come up. (Each archive should locally mirror this list, so that we won't depend on a single site.) Rather than having their desired effect of squelching crypto distribution, perhaps their overbold move can inspire us to increase strong crypto distribution tenfold, by making it clear to the public that if you don't keep a copy on your own hard drive, the governments of the world will be merciless in scheming to deny you access to it. And if crypto developers have to publish on books, or rely on smugglers to get crypto from country to country, then at least each country will have its distribution arrangements already ready for when the book is scanned or the smuggler arrives. John Gilmore --- 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'

1 0

NEW Reuters story (fwd)
by Jukka E Isosaari 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sat, 5 Dec 1998 23:50:55 +0000 From: Dave Bird <dave(a)xemu.demon.co.uk> Reply-To: ukcrypto(a)maillist.ox.ac.uk To: ukcrypto(a)maillist.ox.ac.uk Subject: NEW Reuters story In article <896C7C3540C3D111AB9F00805FA78CE2013F85F3@MSX11002>, Brown, R Ken <brownrk1(a)texaco.com> writes >r [sent to crytpo list, and to CIV LIBS DISCUSS] Yahoo! News http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/wr/story.html?s=v/nm/19981203/wr/ privacy_1.html Thursday 3 December 1998 12:38 PM ET Europe readies police techno-surveillance law By Niall McKay SAN FRANCISCO (Wired) - The European Union is quietly getting ready to approve legislation that will allow the police to eavesdrop both on Internet conversations and Iridium satellite telephone calls without obtaining court authorization. The legislation is part of a much wider memorandum of understanding between the EU, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, a nonmember European nation. That agreement allows authorities to conduct telecom surveillance across international borders, according to a Europol document leaked to members of the European Parliament. ``Security measures are often necessary in the cases of terrorism or organized crime,'' said Glyn Ford, a member of the European Parliament for the British Labour Party and a director of the EU's Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs Committee. ''But what we need is some sort of democratic control. It seems to me that many security services are a law unto themselves.'' That will presumably be a topic of discussion when the European Council of Ministers meets behind closed doors Thursday to update a 1995 wiretap agreement known as the Legal Interception of Telecommunications Resolution. If approved, it would permit real-time, remote monitoring of email, as well as of calls placed on satellite telephone networks such as those maintained by Iridium and Globalstar. Unlike most laws in Europe, the agreement will allow law enforcement to listen in without a court order. ``This is a US export,'' said Marc Rotenberg, director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. ``It's a European version of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act.'' The act, passed in 1984, was intended to allow law enforcers to tap the digital lines of tomorrow, just as they tap analog phone lines now. Ironically, in September, the European Parliament called for account- ability of Echelon, the US National Security Agency's spying network that is reportedly able to intercept, record, and translate any electronic communication-telephone, data, cellular, fax, email, or telex. Under European law, representatives of each member nation can pass legally binding resolutions. Further, the resolutions don't require the approval of either the European Parliament or the individual parliaments of EU members. Many European Parliament members are outraged that the Council of Ministers has been acting in secret. They are especially concerned about the inclusion of non-EU nations in the agreement. Patricia McKenna, a representative for Britain's Green Party, will raise the issue in Parliament this week. She also intends to ask Europe's Justice and Internal Affairs Council to ''justify the secrecy and lack of consultation surrounding these initiatives.'' McKenna is requesting what she described as an ``open debate on the crucial and far-reaching measures, with enormous potential impact in the realm of privacy.'' Another member of the European Parliament believes that the so-called ``update resolutions'' will have staggering implications for personal privacy. ``This legislation is not just a technical update,'' said Johannes Voggenhuber, an Austrian representative for the European Parliament. ``It places the onus on the telecommunications carrier to provide a watertight back door to police.'' The European Council for General Security prepared the amendment with technical assistance from the FBI, according to the Europol document leaked. The four major satellite telephone operators-Iridium, Globalstar, Odyssey, and ICO-will be required by the law to provide access to European law enforcement through ground stations in France, Italy, England, and Germany. Iridium officials could not be reached for comment. It is unclear how the memorandum of understanding will affect US citizens. ``I find it very hard to believe that a foreign nation-any foreign nation-could eavesdrop on US citizens,'' said John Pike, a security analyst with the Federation of American Scientists. ``It's one thing for the FBI to try and track terrorists across international borders, but it's entirely another to let Europeans tap US citizens' telephones.'' The FBI would neither confirm nor deny any relationship between the United States and the other nations involved in the memorandum of understanding. However, Rotenberg said such provisions are already in place under the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. While the new European law is being sold to EU member states as a means of combating what the legislation calls ``serious and organized'' crime, there is no clear definition of this phrase. ``It simply concerns any punishable offense,'' said Tony Bunyan, director of Statewatch, a European civil liberties group. (Reuters/Wired) |~/ |~/ ~~|;'^';-._.-;'^';-._.-;'^';-._.-;'^';-._.-;||';-._.-;'^';||_.-;'^'0-|~~ P | Woof Woof, Glug Glug ||____________|| 0 | P O | Who Drowned the Judge's Dog? | . . . . . . . '----. 0 | O O | answers on *---|_______________ @__o0 | O L |{a href="news:alt.religion.scientology"}{/a}_____________|/_______| L and{a href="http://www.xemu.demon.co.uk/clam/lynx/q0.html"}{/a}XemuSP4(:)

1 0

AU Wassenaar Wassenaar changes
by John Young 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

[OK to repost to crypto lists and Cryptome - dant] I spoke this afternoon with one of the Australian delegates at the Wassenaar meeting, an official from the Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Speaking off the record, they confirmed the changes at Wassenaar are pretty much as we know already: - NEW CONTROLS on mass market crypto products (hardware and software); - DEREGULATING all weak encryption products using key lengths up to 56 bits; - EXEMPTING mass market software where the key length is 64 bits or less; - EXTENDING the same mass market exemption to hardware for the first time; - EXCLUDING encryption products that protect intellectual property, such as digital watermarking; - NO DECISION was made about regulating 'intangible' distribution of technology, including Internet downloads. Apparently in the short term the intangibles issue is being considered in other fora (including the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) which includes Australia thanks to Filthy Jabilucre et al). It is still not clear whether the new restrictions are intended to stop public domain software such as PGP*. The DFAT contact said there was no discussion about an intention to stop public domain packages like PGP. They did not think public domain was being restricted. Yet apparently the Australian DoD has expressed the David Aaron view that public domain is subject to the same restrictions as mass market. * PGP is "in the public domain" for the purposes of Wassenaar/DSGL, since the definition states: "in the public domain" (GTN NTN GSN), as it applies herein, means "technology" or "software" which has been made available without restrictions upon its further dissemination (copyright restrictions do not remove "technology" or "software" from being "in the public domain") Note: there is no equivalent definition for "mass market", but the General Software Note (GSN) states it thus: Generally available to the public by being: 1. Sold from stock at retail selling points, without restriction, by means of: a. Over-the-counter transactions; b. Mail order transactions; or c. Telephone order transactions; and 2. Designed for installation by the user without substantial support by the supplier; Dan ===== Dan Tebbutt, Technology Journalist, Melbourne Australia Australian Personal Computer (http://www.apcmag.com) LAN Corporate IT (http://www.lanlive.com) The Australian (http://www.newsit.com.au) Ph: +61-3-9347-8893 Fax:+61-2-9264-6320 Email: dant(a)acp.com.au "The revolution will be televised ... on pay-per-view."

1 0

Alpha Options Newsletter
by feedback＠telescan.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Dear Fellow Investor, If you're a trader/investor and like quick, large profits, you'll want to take a look at the Alpha Options Newsletter, available from Telescan through the TIP software or on Telescan's investor's supersite, Wall Street City (www.wallstreetcity.com) Fast on the heels of 1997's gross profit of 322%, the newsletter portfolio has returned 179% as of Nov. 13! Even more amazing is that return has been realized while holding an average of 80% cash!* The newsletter, which has been published since April 1995, has evolved into an informative weekly report that uses key basic elements of technical analysis to generate quick profits, while adhering to a stringent money management system that cuts losses and rides gains. The authors scan several hundred charts a week to identify the stocks that look ripe for short-term gains. The newsletter pinpoints price targets and profit objectives for each recommendation and sets stops on open positions. Once a position is entered, it's closely monitored and adjustments to targets or objectives are initiated if necessary. The newsletter has had fabulous success over the past two years as money management guidelines have been set (and more importantly) followed to optimize the portfolio returns. The newsletter offers a candid and unbiased opinion on stocks and recommends both calls and puts as justified by the market. The AON portfolio typically holds between 5-15 open positions, with average being about 8 open positions. The authors analyze each recommendation in detail and give specific targets for when to take profits. The newsletter is published 48 times a year on Sunday evenings. You can subscribe to this informative, educational newsletter online for just $30/month. Call 1-800-324-4692 to subscribe. So go ahead and give the newsletter a try and see how you too can generate substantial profits from trading options. *The ideal starting portfolio size is $20,000, although a starting portfolio of $5,000 is sufficient. Disclaimer: Trading involves risk, including possible loss of principle and other losses. Your trading results may vary. No representations are being made that these techniques will result in or guarantee profits in trading. Past performance is no indication of future results.

1 0

Re: What was the quid pro quo for Wassenaar countries? (fwd)
by Jim Choate 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Forwarded message: > Date: Mon, 07 Dec 1998 08:21:21 -0500 > From: John Young <jya(a)pipeline.com> > Subject: Re: What was the quid pro quo for Wassenaar countries? > More interesting to Americans, maybe, is that there also appears to be > an effort to boost domestic militia, particularly the religious brand, as the > homefront Bin Laden. The rise of religion-based terrorism is explored at > length in Bruce Hoffman's recent "Inside Terrorism." Hoffman claims that > religious terrorists may be the worst enemies ever, for they do not > believe in political compromise: they want to kill every single opponent, > and have no reservations about using WMD. 5,000 years of human history bears this thesis out. > If this theory is correct (and Hoffman has worked with RAND for years on > the issue) then the menace of terrorism is worse than that hawked during > the Cold War. The enemy is not distant, not even ICBM seconds away, > but rather it lives amongst us, it's our neighbors readying Armageddon not > merely a familiar commie takeover. This is also their biggest weakness. It's one reason the US has never been host to a large movement in the 20th century, outside the racist, anti-communist, and pro-lifers (and the first two are pretty much dead) because your neighbor probably doesn't go to the same church you do, probably not from the same part of the country. The chances of an individual opening up to their neighbor and getting a warm reception for bombing someplace is pretty low. Realisticaly, the only reason the pro-lifers get as warm a reception as they do is so many people see it as hypocritical. It's ok to kill a killer is their thinking, it is after all a form of pre-partum assissted self-defence. > Hoffman says to expect more OKCs around the globe. To be sure, that's > his business to say that. Considering the rate at which they occur now there is zero rational reason to believe these groups will cease any time in the near future. ____________________________________________________________________ If I can put in one word what has always infuriated me in any person, any group, any movement, or any nation, it is: bullying Howard Zinn The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage(a)ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------

1 0

US attorney notified
by bill payne 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Michell was notified that we are in the process of initiating legal action to get the lien removed. Let's hope she has the sense to do what we ask. This matter should have been settled. It is getting WORSE.

1 0

Wassenaar News
by John Young 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

We spoke with Igor at the WA today to ask about the implementation report Caspar Bowden said would be coming shortly. It seems that Dirk Weicke, the person preparing it (whom Caspar queried), is out sick and won't return to work until Thursday. Another person working on the report, a Mr. Sidbitt (?) is also out sick but should be back at work tomorrow. At the moment there is no plan to offer the report on the WA Web site. Each member will decide how to publicize it. Igor, a friendly, reminded that the WA staff has no authority, indeed has an evanescent existence, and is subject to vanishing without explanation. The paranoid WA members, my words, cut no slack, cut-throat control of perfidious news is their modus operandi. Still, Igor chuckled at my reporting that the perfidious USG will not anwser my inquiries, being unable to trust its terrifying citizenry. He refused my plea to send a purloined report, a report which, on the evidence, appears to be quite sickening.

1 0

RE: What was the quid pro quo for Wassenaar countries?
by Brown, R Ken 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

John Young talked about the way the TLAs are whipping up the War Against Drugs and the threat od terrorists, WMDs and bogies (in English slang "bogies" are little bits of partially dried snot that plug up your nose... but that's by-the-by) and concludes with: [... If Bruce Hoffman is right ...] > then the menace of terrorism is worse than that hawked during > the Cold War. The enemy is not distant, not even ICBM seconds > away, but rather it lives amongst us, it's our neighbors readying > Armageddon not merely a familiar commie takeover. Ambulance Driver: "Yeah, Doc, there was a nasty accident out on the interstate." Dr. Bassett: "Bad one, eh?" Ambulance Driver: "Yeah, a truck and a car collided. Ya know, it was kinda funny... the truck was carrying a load of the strangest-looking seed pods." Ken Brown

1 0

Re: y2k/gary north delusions
by Trei, Peter 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

As a former New Yorker, I find this whole thread majorly uninformed. Most of New York's water moves from the Catskills to the tap (or toilet) via gravity, without encountering a pump at any point during the way. Even if all power and automated controls failed, most of the city would continue to get water (remember - the system was designed long before computers, or even widespread electricity). The only areas with major problems would be the high spots - Washington Heights/ Spanish Harlem, some parts of the Bronx, and the upper floors of some highrises. Even assuming that somehow every toilet in the city became unusable, the decidedly lowtech solid waste disposal system (trucks to landfills in Staten Island and New Jersey, or barges to the Atlantic), would still operate. The solid volume of people's excrement is miniscule compared to the volume of material already handled. (If you think no crap goes into the system, you clearly have not spent time near in infant in the age of Pampers). I suspect that Los Angeles, and other cities which have grown recently in arid areas, would have a lot more trouble. Peter Trei

2 1

Re: Commerce Hacked?
by Robert Hettinga 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

--- begin forwarded text Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 23:14:13 -0500 (EST) From: Somebody To: Robert Hettinga <rah(a)shipwright.com> Subject: Re: Commerce Hacked? Mime-Version: 1.0 Looks like he [Aaron] has been successful. No one is talking about the extortive quality of sending out the commerce minister to argue for crypto controls. Why don't they send an air force general who giggles about radiated cities between bites of rumaki. <Somebody's .sig> --- 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'

1 0