Stuart mailed this to me by accident and asked me to forward it to the list. G :From: "Stuart W. Card" <swc@uc1.ucsu.edu> :How's this as a dead man encryption protocol: :1) don't keep any sensitive stuff of your own on your own hardware, :put it on other peoples' machines (and let them put their stuff :on yours); :2) encrypt all of your stuff before transferring it to other peoples' :boxes; :3) send the keys that you used to do the encryption to other folks' :boxes as well (not the same ones on which you stored the files); :4) if you are really paranoid, Shamir share the keys; :5) don't keep any local copies of the plaintext, cyphertext or keys; :6) periodically send messages to the boxes where you have stashed :your files, saying "Everything is still cool, don't wipe my files :or my keys."; :7) if/when it hits the fan and you are pressured to reveal your stuff, :stop sending those messages -- the dead man switch goes off and your :files/keys are wiped. :There are countless variations on this theme, each offering a :different compromise between security against prying versus :overhead and the chance of unintended deletion. :------------------------------------------------------------------------ :Stuart W. Card, Consultant, Card & Associates -- Research & Development :Box 153 RR 1 Newport Rd Utica NY 13502 315-735-1717 / FAX -8469 :swc@uc1.ucsu.edu or cards@top.cis.syr.edu "Who is John Galt?"