The Register - Has the NSA broken EU encryption?

jf_avon at freedom.net jf_avon at freedom.net
Sun Mar 11 14:14:38 PST 2001


On Sat, 10 Mar 2001 12:41:18 -0800, Bill Stewart wrote:


>Why would they use a cryptosystem that was easily broken,
>(other than GSM mobile phones, of course),
>rather than a decently strong cryptosystem where the
>main problem is theft of keys from the relevant users?

possible answers:

1) because, for a variety of reason, they like "made here" stuff AND/OR  they had money to 
absolutely spend.  Grand projects like that are good for rallying the troops and inducing all sort of 
state-desired emotions.  Rule Umpteen of govt: why buy off-the-shelf when you can spend twenty 
times to get to copies of custom-made inferior product?

2) because they *know* that everything else is operationnally broken (yeah, right! )






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