--- begin forwarded text MIME-version: 1.0 X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by listserv.aol.com id LAA22230 Date: Thu, 8 May 1997 11:02:39 -0500 Reply-To: Law & Policy of Computer Communications <CYBERIA-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM> Sender: Law & Policy of Computer Communications <CYBERIA-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM> From: "Kevin J. Connolly" <kconnolly@EVW.COM> Subject: Encryption--RSA v. PGP To: CYBERIA-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- RSA Data Security, Inc. filed an action in the Superior Court of California, San Mateo County, against Pretty Good Privacy, Inc. PGP has been claiming that its license to distribute RSA-based encryption software is based on a chain running from Public Key Partners to Viacrypt, Inc. PGP acquired Viacrypt, Inc. in January 1996 and has been selling RSA-based encryption software for commercial use ever since. The complaint, filed by Tomlinson Zisko Morosoli & Maser, alleges that PGP's license is derived from a license to Lemcom, which in turn has been terminated. This might well mean the end of PGP. This would certainly be a bad outcome for security and freedom on the Internet. I will be following these developments and report to the list. It's ironic that RSA is doing this while complaining about PGP conduct as a freeloader. I doubt that public key encryption would be anywhere as notorious as it has become if it were not for Phil Zimmermannn's crusade; and I haven't noticed RSA offering to help with Phil's legal expenses. Kevin J. Connolly The opinions expressed in this communication are those of the author, not of Eaton & Van Winkle. This communication is not legal advice. If it were legal advice, it would be accompanied by an invoice. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBM3HrGTQOqu5WyMfpAQFX7AP/T0R54+S05FqKJ+zZXVb1uCHMrPZmagEm aiW9Dfgwo/K3tXbkrbS0WEtCc8tZobXbL7fLOT82qzKvXehRsERILV2keeaXlAe7 WN5c66SjaWe/xGfLQ/8UAnzaBl6l+olG8gN2zxGatbLDcKuakP7j0LGRuzhTXAaG BOYGDUbsSAY= =VCFW -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert Hettinga (rah@shipwright.com), Philodox e$, 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' The e$ Home Page: http://www.shipwright.com/