wd6cmu@netcom.com (Eric Williams) writes: Did anyone else noticed the blacked-out paragraphs in the two FOIA documents just before the administration stated its intent to ignore all the computer industry's counter-arguments to Clipper? Does anyone else wonder what is there that they found so compelling?
Yes, John Gilmore saw those and wondered about them, and filed an administrative appeal on them. Here's the result. I don't know if it was posted here before, so I'll apologize in advance if it was. The second such document was similarly repaired, and said the same thing in slightly different words. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX The entire paragraph that follows was originally withheld as XX XXXX classified information. We appealed the withholding, and XXXXX XXXX most of the paragraph was released, with only one or two XXXXXX XXXX sentences withheld at the bottom. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [(S) crossed out, replaced by] (U) Trapdoor encryption technology is not essential to the debate (a system that required the escrow of keys by users of cryptographic technologies could be established even if the trapdoor chips did not exist), proposed use of trapdoor technology does raise a further complication: neither the academic community nor private industry is comfortable with encryption algorithms that are kept secret, as will be the case with the trapdoor chip. It has been suggested that an independent panel of cryptography experts will be invited to evaluate the algorithm. This will undoubtedly fail to reassure the community at large that there are no unrecognized vulneratilities, since the panel will be perceived as captive and tainted. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX One or two sentences blacked out via FOIA exemption (b)(1) XXXX (U) Despite these concerns, the President has directed that the Attorney General request that manufacturers of communications hardware use the trapdoor chip, and at least AT&T has been reported willing to do so (having been suitably incentivised by promises of Government purchases). [and so on] Jim Gillogly Sterday, 8 Astron S.R. 1994, 01:06