Just got off the phone with the NSA. "There are so many places in the NSA that deal with cryptology we haven't been able to find the document yet. We'll call you back once we locate it and let you know if it can be released or not. We've been getting phone calls about the document. Did you read about it on the Internet?" -Declan

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Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1996 16:50:18 -0700 From: Somebody Subject: NSA Report To: rah@shipwright.com

I don't recall seeing this report mentioned in any e$pam items, and thought you might be interested. Thanks for all your work on the e$ lists.

<Somebody's .sig>

______________________________ Forward Header __________________________________ Subject: 21st Century Banking Alert No. 96-10-17 Author: "Ledig; Robert" <LEDIGRO@ffhsj.com> at internet Date: 10/17/96 2:51 PM

21st Century Banking Alert No. 96-10-17 October 17, 1996

National Security Agency Report Raises Systemic Security Issues Related to Anonymous Electronic Money

A recent report prepared by the Cryptology Division of the National Security Agency's Office of Information Security Research and Technology discusses the potential for security failures in certain electronic cash systems and their likely consequences. While demonstrating concern over the attributes of non-traceable electronic money, the report points out methods that may be used to minimize security breaches and losses, including limiting the number of coins that can be affected by a single compromise, requiring traceability for large transactions or large numbers of transactions in a given period, and the creation of a mechanism to restore traceability under certain circumstances. The report contains an excellent summary of basic electronic money cryptographic tools, electronic cash protocols, authentication and signature techniques and related security issues.

Copyright 1996. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson. All rights reserved. 21st Century Banking Alert is a trademark and servicemark of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson.

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----------------- Robert Hettinga (rah@shipwright.com) e$, 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "The cost of anything is the foregone alternative" -- Walter Johnson The e$ Home Page: http://www.vmeng.com/rah/