Steve Thompson wrote:

To correct my ignorance on current cryptography issues, I have been browsing the archives. Some time ago, there was quite a bit of talk about the MISTY algorithm, although I did not chance upon any pointers to an actual implementation. Since the character of the messages which I did read seemed to be (loosely speaking) light-hearted, I cannot decide whether the algorithm is some sort of `in' joke, or whether it was a cryptographic algorithm which didn't `cut it' under peer review.

Check Google under "misty algorithm download". In particular, look at http://cypherpunks.venona.com/date/1998/09/msg00232.html for source code. -- Steve Furlong, Computer Condottiere Have GNU, will travel 518-374-4720 sfurlong@acmenet.net

At 3:04 PM +0000 9/29/00, Steve Thompson wrote:

Perhaps this message would be better directed to the coderpunks list, but I shall take a chance and post it here since I have little programming skill to speak of.

To correct my ignorance on current cryptography issues, I have been browsing the archives. Some time ago, there was quite a bit of talk about the MISTY algorithm, although I did not chance upon any pointers to an actual implementation. Since the character of the messages which I did read seemed to be (loosely speaking) light-hearted, I cannot decide whether the algorithm is some sort of `in' joke, or whether it was a cryptographic algorithm which didn't `cut it' under peer review.

Are there any old-timers who recall the algorithm in question?

The Web is the best place to search. Using Google, I just turned up more than 1200 hits in a few seconds. A main site is: http://www.mitsubishi.com/ghp_japan/misty/200misty.htm As for its strength, this, too, is available from analyses on the Web and from the Crypto Conference Proceedings. As for the jokes, you need to read the context. Some guy, or bot, would appear on the list and pretent to be asking questions in broken English. A la "What am Misty?" Then he offered to sell access to the source code. Then he asked "What am Misty?" He never responded as a person, not even getting upset at the derision directed his way. He gave no indication that he was even receiving mail. I would have thought this was all clear from reading a handful of the "light-hearted" posts you spoke of. --Tim May -- ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, ComSec 3DES: 831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, "Cyphernomicon" | black markets, collapse of governments.