Voice crypto: the last crypto taboo

David Honig honig at sprynet.com
Tue Aug 7 07:38:17 PDT 2001


At 09:41 AM 8/6/01 -0700, Tim May wrote:
>
>Starian, the company founded by Eric Blossom and others, had a 3DES unit 
>the size of an external modem that worked as described. (I have one.)

Did you buy it anonymously?  That's a problem with low-serial-number devices.

>The problem is the "fax effect":  who ya gonna call?

Thus my suggestion that interop with a guy with a computer/speaker/mic
would be a selling point.

>It works well for "cells" consisting of trading partners, drug dealers, 
>freedom fighters, etc. They can just buy several of them for their 
>members.

Telecommuters.

Also it would be cool to have your phone answering machine use crypto when
you dialed it up.  Computers are sometimes phone answering machines
nowadays.

>Solving the fax effect problem happens when a _standard_ is widely 
>deployed, or when some major deals with cellphone vendors happen. I 
>understand Starian has been trying to get a cellphone version 
>designed-in.

Sure.  If Starion Corp. had ridden the hockey stick and become 'the'
standard we'd all be pretty happy, even wannabe competitors, for having a 
de-facto standard to code to.

>ObSpoliationClaim: "Those who buy such machines are obviously trying to 
>hide evidence. Mr. Happy Fun Court is "not amused.""

Do not smile at the man in the black dress with a hammer.





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