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Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2007 01:10:56 -0400
To: Philodox Clips List
From: "R.A. Hettinga"
Subject: [Clips] Expert: Seized disk had encrypted files
Reply-To: clips-chat@philodox.com
Sender: clips-bounces@philodox.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070412/ap_on_re_us/military_secrets_china&printer=1;_ylt=AiSeHMmePSfY95mWPdJT_eVH2ocA
Yahoo!
Expert: Seized disk had encrypted files
By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press Writer
Wed Apr 11, 9:36 PM ET
A Navy investigator testified Wednesday that a computer disk seized from
the brother of a Chinese-born engineer accused of stealing U.S. defense
technology secrets contained encrypted files.
Nicholas Mikus, an investigative computer specialist for the Naval Criminal
Investigative Service, said the files could only be unlocked with a
specific "key," a chain of 113 letters that was stored on a floppy disk.
Mikus was the latest witness called by the government in its case against
Chi Mak, an engineer accused of passing sensitive military information to
the Chinese government for more than 20 years.
Mak, a naturalized U.S. citizen who worked for Anaheim-based defense
contractor Power Paragon, has pleaded not guilty. He is charged with
conspiracy to export defense material to China, failure to register as a
foreign agent, attempted and actual export of defense articles and making
false statements.
His wife, brother and other relatives also have been indicted.
Mak, 66, was arrested on Oct. 28, 2005, after his brother, Tai Mak, and
sister-in-law were stopped at Los Angeles International Airport as they
tried to board a flight to Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China.
Investigators said they found a disk in their luggage that contained
encrypted files on an electronic propulsion system that would make U.S.
submarines virtually undetectable underwater.
Mikus said the disk contained a folder labeled "DLL" that held three
directories filled with encrypted files. The disk also contained three
files containing notes from biology lectures and two files of Chinese
music, he said.
Mikus did not testify about the contents of the encrypted files but said
the encryption was done on Oct. 25, 2005 - three days before the Maks were
arrested.
Prosecutors have said the floppy disk that contained the "key" was found
inside a white envelope in a drawer in Tai Mak's bedside table.
Investigators also said they found three disks from Chi Mak that contained
the original, unencrypted files that were found on the disk in Tai Mak's
luggage.
Under cross-examination by the defense, Mikus acknowledged that encryption
programs more sophisticated than the one used on the seized disk are
available for free or for a small fee on the Internet and also come with
Windows Vista.
He also said the encrypted files were not "hidden" under the two music
files, as prosecutors have alleged.
Court papers indicate investigators found documents at Chi Mak's house on
the DDX Destroyer, an advanced technology warship, and lists in Chinese
asking Mak for information about torpedoes, electromagnetic artillery
systems and technology used to detect incoming missiles at his house.
Tai Mak has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to export defense
articles, possession of property in aid of a foreign government, failure to
register as a foreign agent and making false statements.
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R. A. Hettinga
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation http://www.ibuc.com/
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
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--
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation http://www.ibuc.com/
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'