Adam Shostack wrote:
This leaves us to ask, why GAK is such a big deal at NIST, if CKE will get them most of what they want? First, they haven't realized that CKE is most of what they want. Second, they're worried about the extra 10%. Drug dealers and terrorists not using it. (This points towords an eventual mandate for GAK, even if it starts out voluntary. Many have noted this.) Third, they've invested so much energy in the fight for GAK that they're emotionally tied to the idea, and they can't say 'well this would be almost as good.'
It also allows them to stall on increasing the clearly inadequate export key size of 40-bit, while they are working on "an alternate solution". Given the overwelming negative response from industry over GAK, it may be nothing other than a delaying action. --Jeff -- Jeff Weinstein - Electronic Munitions Specialist Netscape Communication Corporation jsw@netscape.com - http://home.netscape.com/people/jsw Any opinions expressed above are mine.