Forwarded from comp.org.eff.talk In article <1993Apr12.081136.1@cc.curtin.edu.au>, zrepachol@cc.curtin.edu.au (Paul Repacholi) writes:

In article <1993Apr11.175007.10136@news.acns.nwu.edu>, jlacour@merle.acns.nwu.edu (John LaCour) writes:

Have not seen a proposal like the FBI one yet, doesn't mean it isn't out there though. One thing that has happened is the delaying of the new GSM digital mobile phones. It seems that ASIO and friends have been told by GCHQ about the dificulty of breaking MD5. Info is still a bit thin. You could try posting to aus.comms.

Please note, I have added aus.comms and aus.politics to this one. I enquired of Austel ( the Australian telecoms regulatory body), and the Federal Atourny Generals Office today. The Telecom GSM trail marketing that started in Brisbane in March has been canceled. GSM will *NOT* be legal in Australia till the use of MD% encryption is changed, or the system is altered to allow monitoring of calls. This is a requirement of the 'Telecomunications Interception Act'( AG perth.) There are also prohibitions on using codes and cyphers in the 'Crimes Act' various state police acts and criminal codes ( thought these would not affect Telecomms, as that is federal jusistiction. I will try to find the acts, and quote the relevent sections on this. There has also been posts on 'pen-recorders' I notice. The .au situation on this is that a commisioned officer of the federal police can give the telco a written notice requiring the supplying of cal info for the date range in the notice. I saw this some monthes ago, and had the impression that this included info *PRIOR* to the notice, info Telecom claims not to have if mear chattels inquire! Strange, wonder where it matterializes from. Note the absence of words like 'warrant', 'judge', 'court' or other such! I think there is a requirement for the commisioner of the FP to include in his anual report to parlament the number of notices issued. All this has been in place in one form or another for decades. I first saw this sort of stuff when I worked in the post office ( ob history: the post offie used to run the phon system in australia years ago ) As I worked both as a night shift telephonist and in the office itself, I had to sign a stack of secrecy stuff, and a copy of the 'Posts and Telegraphs Act' was standard issue. This had a prohibition on "unlawfull codes, cyphers and secret writings" The Comercial Telex Code was the *ONE* allowed code. Any other code used in a telegram *HAD* to be stated on the logment form. Don't know what happened after that. Small country town, never saw one. Only the banks used codes. This would have been Dec '67 or '68 I think. Will try to fill in the gaps, and post a full account later. Note that I will be probably away next week, ( school hols ) so it may be a while. I will also try to get some extra info on use etc. ~Paul