Security Flaw Is Discovered In Software Used in Shopping

[Robert Hettinga]

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Date: Wed, 20 Sep 1995 10:47:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: Nathaniel Borenstein <nsb at nsb.fv.com>
To: www-buyinfo at allegra.att.com
Subject: Re: Security Flaw Is Discovered In Software Used in Shopping

Without belaboring the point too much, I think there are a few
conclusions that really ought to be drawn:

-- The world has never seen unbreakable encryption software, and almost
certainly never will.  Nothing that human beings ever build is perfect.

-- Any encryption-based scheme is only as strong as its weakest link.
Generally, you don't know what the weakest link will turn out to be.

-- Basing a global financial infrastructure on the unbreakability of a
certain algorithm or program is at best imprudent.  Bear in mind that
people as well respected as Dr. Adelman -- the "A" in RSA -- are hard at
work trying to figure out how, for example, to use massive parallelism
to break the basic algorithms of public key cryptography.

-- Keeping sensitive financial information completely off the net is
always best, whether or not you are using encryption.

For information on a safe, non-cryptographic alternative that has been
fully operational for nearly a year, with over 30,000 paying customers,
a growth rate featuring a six week doubling period, and NO break-ins to
date, check out http://www.fv.com.  -- Nathaniel
--------
Nathaniel S. Borenstein <nsb at fv.com>    |           When privacy is outlawed,
Chief Scientist, First Virtual Holdings |     only outlaws will have privacy!
FAQ & PGP key: nsb+faq at nsb.fv.com       | SUPPORT THE ZIMMERMANN DEFENSE FUND!

---VIRTUAL YELLOW RIBBON-->> zldf at clark.net <http://www.netresponse.com/zldf>
--- end forwarded text


-----------------
Robert Hettinga (rah at shipwright.com)
Shipwright Development Corporation, 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131
USA (617) 323-7923
"Reality is not optional." --Thomas Sowell
>>>>Phree Phil: Email: zldf at clark.net  http://www.netresponse.com/zldf <<<<<