At 11:40 PM 11/11/95, Michael Pierson wrote:

I wouldn't be surprised to learn of somebody like FinCEN using neural-net systems to do pattern analysis on funds transfers and the like, or the NRO or NSA investing research money into investigating the usefulness of NNs for image processing or for scanning raw ELINT, SIGINT or COMINT data. In fact, I'd be quite surprised if they weren't.

These are well-known applications. The drug enforcement folks have programs running at a place called the "El Paso Information Center" (EPIC), from what I recall. Analyzing flights, passenger lists, etc., using various AI/pattern recognition programs. (Some say the El Paso locale has tendrils reaching to E Systems, Cray installations, etc., but I wouldn't know.) I recall reading of some contracts let out, and other RFCs, for AI programs for FinCEN use. Not surprising. (If I ran FinCEN, this is what I'd surely have a bunch of folks working on. Scary thought.) A bunch of AI-oriented job shops, such as Kestrel Institute and ADS, have links to intelligence and law enforcement. Really too many possible examples, and not surprising.

While NNs may not be of direct relevance to cryptanalysis, I suspect they are, or will be, of great relevance to the task of identifying what communications should be cryptanalyzed or otherwise scrutinized. Especially given the high volume of traffic our 'thinkpol' aspire to be able to listen to.

Sure. Preprocessing of intercepts and signals, etc., is a natural application. The point about neural nets not likely to be used in pure cryptanalysis was a carefully limited point. --Tim May Views here are not the views of my Internet Service Provider or Government. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^756839 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."