cfp '94 transcript

[bill.stewart@pleasantonca.ncr.com +1-510-484-6204]

> I have a question concerning the algorithm that is used in the
> Clipper Chip, Skipjack..[]..There is a certain amount of conjecture
> that in fact the algorithm contains a deliberately encoded weakness
> that will allow the NSA, without access to the escrow keys, to be
> able to intercept communication in their mission to monitor on-
> shore and off-shore communications..[]..
> 
> BAKER                         I'll answer it yes or no if you'll
> tell me exactly the question.
> 
> UNKNOWN                       Does it or does it not contain a
> weakness that allows you to intercept the communications without
> access to the escrow keys.  
> 
> BAKER                         No.       

The response is incorrect; I'll leave moral judgements about whether
the constitutes deliberate lying or mere confusion to others :-)

Specifically, the Clipper Chip does *not* use the escrow keys -
it uses its device unique key, which can be derived from them.
It *could* have been designed to use the escrow keys to do the
device-unique-key generation internally, or even to do *two* separate
encryption rounds in LEAF creation so there isn't just one key, but nooo.
Decryption of LEAF also does not use the escrow keys, it uses
the device unique key as well.  The Black Box For Cops may very well
use the escrow keys to derive the device unique key,
but anybody who has access to the Skipjack and LEAF algorithms
and Family Key and the device unique key can do the decryption,
and you can probably feed the Black Box For Cops the device-unique key
and 000000..00 instead of the escrowed key-parts.  (They'd have to
do some *really* special checking otherwise.)

So how do you get the device unique key without using the escrow keys?
- Maybe you can FOIA it
- Maybe the Key Generation Bureau can steal it during manufacturing
- Maybe the Key Generation Bureau can just *take* it during manufacturing,
	since the Attorney General's rules don't say not to.
- Maybe the Key Generation Bureau can steal the two half-keys before
	(or after) giving them to the so-called "escrow" agents,
	which means they're not really the escrow keys.
- Maybe the Key Generation Bureau can re-generate the keys,
	either by stealing the input batch parameters from the
	escrow agents or by brute-force searching the range of
	inputs they might have provided or something similar.
- Maybe the Black Box For Cops lets you extract the data from it,
	either directly or by handing it carefully-designed input
- Maybe authorized government employees can obtain the keys for
	chips for internal use, and then distribute those chips
	to victims\\\\\\\suckers\\\\\\customers outside government.
- Maybe the rules for access to government-used Clipper-chip keys
	are or will be different than for keys used by the public.
	After all, their responsibilities for protecting internal
	information are different than their ability to wiretap people.
	So maybe they just "misread" a serial number and get the 
	chip keys from the wiretapping-each-other list instead of the
	escrow agencies by "mistake - those keys aren't "escrowed", 
	since the escrow agents don't have them they're just
	"retained for internal use".

"Wiretap the usual suspects!"

			Bill Stewart
# Bill Stewart  AT&T Global Information Solutions, aka NCR Corp
# 6870 Koll Center Parkway, Pleasanton CA, 94566 Phone 1-510-484-6204 fax-6399
# email bill.stewart at pleasantonca.ncr.com billstewart at attmail.com
# ViaCrypt PGP Key IDs 384/C2AFCD 1024/9D6465