-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Here's an interesting question: What happens when your star technical witness tells others she's no longer your witness at all? Denning now says she has doubts... (Responses? I'm no longer on cypherpunks, so mail me directly. Cheers - Will Administration Supporter Having Second Thoughts On Encryption Plan By Will Rodger 1:30 PM EDT Nixon went to China. Constantine converted to Christianity. Napoleon crowned himself emperor. So why can't Dorothy Denning be a cypherpunk? That's the question encryption mavens ask as the Georgetown University computer scientist slowly lets the word out: She won't back government plans for key recovery, key escrow or anything else alleged to increase national security until backers show that the benefits of controls on encryption outweighs those of letting free market forces govern its use. That's a far cry from the way she once talked about encryption technology. As recently as this year Denning was pegged as a strong backer of keeping controls on a wide range of computer-security products. "Maybe export controls should be lifted," Denning said. "But I'm not saying that all controls should be lifted. I've gotten into a state where I don't know and I'm not sure that I ever knew." Denning may be the only prominent cryptographer to support government control of encryption technology, the underlying technology behind nearly all Internet security devices that scramble information so even the wiliest hacker is powerless to decode it. As the author of the first widely read textbook on the subject, her opinion carries weight with at least some in the encryption community. Since encryption can be used to defeat lawful wiretaps and other electronic searches and seizures, Denning backed law enforcement as it tried to fight encryption's spread abroad. But now a host of objections to the Clinton administration's plan have turned the argument on its head. As the Internet becomes more popular for business use, encryption is more important than ever to keep hackers out. And a recent cryptographer's report suggesting that it would be far riskier to give governments spare keys to decode messages in a few places than not to have third party access at all has clearly shaken Denning's confidence. Policy specialists in Washington and elsewhere have speculated that Denning would announce something soon, but none wants to push her for fear of alienating someone who could end up a potent ally. "I don't think any close scientific observer of this debate can deny that there are real technical concerns raised by the Administration's position," said Alan Davidson, counsel with the Center for Democracy and Technology. "I think its just best for us to sit back and not say anything at this point," added another prominent activist. "We don't want to force her hand." Will Denning go over to the other side? "I'm not advocating anything anymore," Denning said. "I support what the administration is doing because I really see them struggling with these things." -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 5.0 Charset: noconv iQEVAwUBM5NE+EcByjT5n+LZAQHgzgf9FLHCAw4aw6wETKtsaK7WVmbyYMhMWaW5 hPXl21Xl24XioSm3xMjvvjWXfqZyn1rIX+hD7awVVevoRLjHsSC9LM4YwxW9pq+U EiXPjrciK65xxaIqaj3o5cI53QWWDHQN3+p++WUu2/d1+5b9xq2u4C5V9Jb4Jkld RCLh65nxe/mxTgvPBYZkuBwVn6WpuWPyQvbNMkmptMOgil4WYx3tiXNtJBz9GTZR t83g2tvfIz8c5Wz0Grc8Ln3pXckiQmko7e5zU2bH1/MPtPnUwwZav+xbCvkL/KAd qMZmzgVVR8EUIYkevPHuflmius4LY1m2SAAEmcs9R5Ont72sa0iFBw== =sDTa -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Will Rodger Washington Bureau Chief Inter@ctive Week A Ziff-Davis Publication http://www.interactiveweek.com