>>"We tried to come up with a technique that would not require >>legislation," said Clint Brooks, advisor to the director of the >>National Security Agency, >Another ominous, foreboding quote. I think this neither ominous nor foreboding. This statement was apparent within a week or so of the original announcement. The only thing new about it is that it confirms what I've thought for over a month: that the executive branch is trying to do an end run around the legislature. Well, it could be innocent; it just takes longer to get legislation passed. Yeah, that's it... Of course, NSA does have another option -- they can disclose how cheaply they can crack DES. (That they can crack it I don't doubt; my only question is what it costs them per solution, including amortization of capital costs.)