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Re: ID of anonymous posters via word analysis?
by Matthew J Ghio 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Just reading this list I'm sure it would be fairly clear that word analysis could be used to identify posters. Reread a few posts on the cypherpunks list. Note who spells out "government" and who abbreviates to "gov't". Some people consistently use one or the other. Count who uses "though" and who uses "tho". Also look at who refers to "anonymous posters" and who talks about "nyms". I think you will notice some definent patterns. Other possible word favoritisms: cypherpunks/c-punks cryptography/crypto cipher/encryption America/USA England/UK baud/bps DigiCash/digital cash Internet/"the net" information/info Mail/E-mail/Net-mail Just looking at the above list I'm sure some of you will realize how much you favor using certain terms, others probably without noticing it. Sorting by subject is possible too. Notice that there is only a certain group of users who consistently discuss DCnets. Another group consistently mentions the IRS, and taxes. A different group typically discusses anonymnity and anonymous postings. Others tend to avoid certain topics. Think about your own postings and realize what topics interest you most. I don't think it would be too hard to establish a "text fingerprint" of people based on what words they use. Maybe when I have some time I'll write a program to do it and see how many different patterns/styles I can identify. P.S. Also note the variations in text markings to express emphasis. Note who CAPITALIZES, *stars* _underscores_ or Capitalizes The First Letters.

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No Subject
by nobody＠shell.portal.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Re the Phiber Optik case. I understand that only vanilla, split-band modems (1200, 2400 baud) were tapped, on the analog loop. They were, and still are, common in the mundane telco world. Throw a bandpass filter on the upper half of the audio band, get the answer data. Throw a filter on the lower half, get the originate data. Much MUCH easier than tapping modern full-duplex full-band modems with echo cancellation and compression. I know some of the datacops involved, and I seriously doubt they have a clue about how to handle V.32 without help from the NSA, which DOES know how to intercept them. Of course, even if the modems had NSA-proof encryption built in, the victim could always intercept the decrypted data on the DTE connector... cracking is and will remain a risky and stupid thing to do...

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Go away.
by pmetzger＠lehman.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Go away and leave us alone.

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Cyphergurus: Advice needed
by W. Kinney 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- I'm writing a Macintosh encryption application (nearing completion), which, when it encrypts a file, changes its file type and creator so that the encryption program will be launch when the file is double-clicked. I have to save four pieces of information about the original plaintext: file type, creator, data fork length, and resource fork length. These are placed in a resource in the encrypted file. What I'd like to get opinions on is _should I encrypt this header information_, since its format will be known to an attacker and, in many cases, its contents easy to guess? My inclination is to leave it plaintext, since the worst that can happen if a file type is known is the same type of attack that would _always_ be possible with an encrypted header. Thanks to all with thoughts on the subject. -- Will -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.3 iQCVAgUBLN9hEPfv4TpIg2PxAQEZCwP9G2nysBI31CnD2UasTUHQb3itwc2S1juc TGJRvo5iB1WRFHwYwxyraae41Kf2Xsu6qiuHAQWEuvGhG4MyiZjXwZsE5FU9pxRR CV/pvSG4J/teXvJXv575Vr3lVxI6isDa4oZcMtv5rOS7ihIqF4ssuHnlOa6mHckU KW81MGB8nkQ= =cLCE -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Re: (fwd) Clipper and Tipper on Route 666
by Clark Reynard 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I must say I had never considered the possibility that the Data Superhighway itself might be a scam; but it's an interesting possibility. With all the hideous legislative work they cribbed from the Bush clan, a former CIA chief; how surprised would you be to find that the Data Superhighway AND Clipper Chip proposals were intended to be enacted almost simultaneously; to rein in the Internet. Perhaps the spooks have, as we all know, been buying CD-ROMS and grepping 'em. It could be a conspiracy to establish complete government surveillance of all computer equipment. I may simply be being paranoid, here, but in political situations which smack of unlikely coincidence; one must occasionally ask the rhetorical question _Cui bono_? In this case, a number of people stand to benefit; and, oddly, the people seem to be predominantly in the government. I'm not entirely serious about this theory, and I do present it semi-satirically, as a perspicacious few may have noted; but perhaps the topic shall stir up a bit of debate. "Route 666." I like that. How does one get hold of Pat Robertson's people? And get him to think we're good Christian boys, so they'll do it? I think Pat's _already_ pissed about this Clipper thing, and he'd be happy to talk about evil liberal perfidy in the White House. Anyone have their FAX numbers and addresses? ---- Robert W. F. Clark PGP Key Available Upon Request rclark(a)nyx.cs.du.edu clark(a)metal.psu.edu

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Revisionist History of the US....:( (fwd)
by John Young 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Responding to msg by ravage(a)bga.com (Jim choate) on Fri, 2 Sep 10:8 AM >Lesson 2 should be that the 'external' threat won't >last forever and at some point the real issues will >blow up to such an extent that the poplace will not be >concerned about external events because they are so >busy trying to stay alive and make a living. Yes. The external threat to the US has diminished, let's hope, to where some resources, human and material, can be applied to ways to make an advanced society serve its citizenry without resorting to fear of foreign boogies. The way that the surveillance satellite systems of the US and the USSR helped to reduce fear of military planners is instructive. This non-lethal technology, though expensive, made, and continues to make, accidental nuclear war less likely, and seems to me to be a great service to the world's population. Aggressive weapons systems may be similarly replaced by non-lethal technology as scientists and technologists are asked to device such apparatus. Fear of economic and social deprivation might also benefit from the talents of those who once produced the tools of the Cold War and hot regional conflicts you mention. Further, this list offers other ways to envision a society less dependent on the national security rubric of big Government, and may thereby support alternative local initiatives for economic and civil affairs. Kudos for this non-lethal work. John

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Re: ISS location
by Paul Goggin 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Bilbo Baggins (an6077(a)anon.penet.fi) queries: >As the subject says, has anyone located the ISS (Internet Security >Scan) on a ftp-site. I have seen the discussion about it, but not any >sites mentioned. (I have tried archie to!) As I have posted before and yet again.... Try aql.gatech.edu /pub/security/iss - -- R O All Comments Copyright by | Technofetishist A N Paul S. Goggin (1993) | Cypher, Cyber, Chaos V Information Broker | Ergoflux, Interzone E chaos(a)aql.gatech.edu | Carpe Diem: Stop the Clipper wiretap chip Finger account for latest _Phrack_ | Public Key: PGP and RIPEM available For anonymous communication:---> anon32940(a)anon.penet.fi - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Title 18 USC 2511 and 18 USC 2703 Protected -- Monitoring Absolutely Forbidden -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.2 iQCVAgUBLN/44Mjh5TPwiWbBAQHLzwP/Xnke5vfiD8C0GWw6MzfXPdSIQRvr+yUm mOIsx7FZbeEu78lI55jcgrDZ2Kz4mgROeHVfY3aEG3WnOfisDqH0bsKB6ddvdaW+ cmqRSazNAQkXtIbUYOLeAM+Sa5ziu1rKaBViBfFHWtcu7fHTfzatIxvDtkI1TZ/B XyavzNIz8Zk= =9cgw -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Info on Clipper chip and fabrication of it
by tcmay＠netcom.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Clipperpunks (Not!), Someone in the know passed on some information to me about the Clipper/Skipjack stuff. Here it is: ***begin quote*** An ARM processor will be used as a controller inside the Skipjack & ?? chips (don't think it's currently used in Clipper). VLSI progammable logic (EEprom based?) is used to both store the keys, and provide some other logic functions, so you can't read anything if you take the chip apart. I don't think any other exotic technologies are used. Mykotronix designs the mask- they're fabricated at VLSI. ***end quote*** We knew all of this, except for the part about the ARM processor (formerly the "Acorn Risc Machine") being used in the core. The ARM is a high MIPS-per-watt processor that is being used in the Apple Newton and the 3DO game machine. (I'll leave it to you all to construct some theories about what this might mean--but probably doesn't--for Newtons and 3DO containing Skipkjack features.) --Tim May -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero 408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^756839 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. Note: I put time and money into writing this posting. I hope you enjoy it.

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Health Security
by gtoal＠an-teallach.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

In article <9311261629.AA05385(a)gold.chem.hawaii.edu> you write: >> I realize that this is of marginal crypto import, but I need as much info >> as possible on Hospital Information Systems and security. Especially >> on CICS and AIX systems. Do any cryptographic protocols exist yet to >> protect huge interactive medical databases? >What specifically are you asking about? Are you talking about encrypted >password protection or encryption of part or all of the databases? The company I work for does a lot of work with HISS systems. We've been told to develop a system to display selected data from a HISS on PCs for use by hospital staff. (Possibly off the premises). We asked about security and encryption, and were told we could leave all the patient data in clear but to encrypt the file containing the names and the correspondence between those names and patient data. I don't think this is sufficient - I'm sure anyone getting the data could work out who it was about from all sorts of internal detail - but that's all the UK Health Service at least expects. We will, of course, be putting in a *considerable* deal more security than they mandate as minimum, because if patient data were to get out via one of our products, it would be no use saying 'but the NHS said that was all we needed to do' - not only would we be morally negligent, but it would do our company's public image no good at all. G -- Personal mail to gtoal(a)gtoal.com (I read it in the evenings) Business mail to gtoal(a)an-teallach.com (Be careful with the spelling!) Faxes to An Teallach Limited: +44 31 662 4678 Voice: +44 31 668 1550 x212

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Re: Comments on NSA (was: "Pyrrhus Cracks RSA?")
by an52436＠anon.penet.fi 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Well, doesn't it make some sense given the utility of prime numbers in cryptography, that the NSA, or anyone else interested in breaking codes for that matter, would have simply dedicated a computer or two to the long-term project of determining all of the prime numbers under x bits long? Granted this would take a while, but the NSA has the time, the computers, and the other resources necessary to do this. Having all of these prime numbers would greatly reduce the effort necessary to crack PGP/RSA-type cryptosystems which rely on prime numbers. It would reduce the number of factors a brute-force attack would have to check dramatically. Or am I completely off-base? Mephisto ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To find out more about the anon service, send mail to help(a)anon.penet.fi. Due to the double-blind, any mail replies to this message will be anonymized, and an anonymous id will be allocated automatically. You have been warned. Please report any problems, inappropriate use etc. to admin(a)anon.penet.fi.

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