In message <9601292041.AA14422@zip_master2.sbi.com>, David Macfarlane wrote:
Is this the most transparent media attention grab or what? FV's "Chief Scientist" writes a killer application to destroy Internet commerce and it is really only a keystroke capture program with a bit of credit card number recognition code tacked on.
I don't think this has any "implications for Internet commerce". If you run any number of virus protection programs on your computer, and you get your software from reliable sources, you never need worry about clandestine number snarfing.
I especially liked the bit about being available under all sorts of Microsoft OSs but not yet implemented under Unix. (which doesn't in general *have* APIs or screen savers or all the other guff. If secure input is needed then it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I doubt the program would recognize either of INTERCAL input or output (as a random example)
I readily admit that there is a larger issue about viruses and being able to trust your software, but the presentation from FV of this announcement as a "fatal flaw" in internet commerce is remarkably disingenuous. They are really saying, "We have the only safe approach" quietly between the lines.
But it's hardly *new* as you say. All in all, a quite convincing little article. Could almost be worth modifying and posting to the Germans about something or other.
And before pm. says it, this has very little to do with cryptography.
Or trees. -- Packrat (BSc/BE;COSO;Wombat Admin) Nihil illegitemi carborvndvm.