Clipper Key Escrow Details

[David Koontz]

>From: grendel at netaxs.com (Michael Brandt Handler)
>Posted-Date: Fri, 6 May 1994 07:05:38 -0400

>Regarding the Clipper Key Escrow scheme:

>        [1] Who has the ability to submit a warrant and request the key
data from the two controlling government agencies?

Its even worse than that.  They have a catch phrase - "other legal
authority", where some do not require a warrant.

>        [2] What is to stop someone, once they have my escrowed key data,
>from archiving it for later use?

While not having formally answered this, it has been indicated that the
unit key is sent encrypted to a decoder box, which can disassemble the
LEAF and extract the session key.  I believe this decoder is based on a
PC, which leaves one to wonder about even the possibility of timelocking
the transaction.
(the crypto algorithm is contained in a chip on a P.C. board.)