Encrypted Credit Card Numbers For Transmission....

Tue Dec 13 21:34:32 PST 1994

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I thought about this recently when I bought a subscription to Wired for X-Mas
for a friend.

Why don't organizations like Wired (who are ostensibly closely connected to
the 'net) not have public keys (ie through Viacrypt, as they are a commercial
enterprise) that subscription purchasers could encrypt a credit card number
to them, and then e-mail that cyphertext file to them for processing. The
company could then snail mail to the purchaser confirmation of the cc purchase
just like what happens for a  credit card phone purchase.

It seems straightforward or am I missing something? I mean, PGP is extremely
widespread, and other organizations encrypt data for transmission between
points with DES, so use of encryption is hardly a novel concept for business
to swallow (particularly a magazine like Wired, who likely have a reasonably
encryption knowledgeable readership or potential readership).

Routine use of encryption at this simple level would likely get the ball
rolling in the direction of other endeavors, like e-cash, or at worst
become another convenience for the customer and allow encryption and the
'net to gain wider acceptance.