"If you DON'T use encryption, you help the terrorists win"

[Tyler Durden]

"Basically they say things like "If you think the government can't break all
the encryption schemes that we have, you're nuts."  This guy was a math 
major
too, so he understands the principles of crypto."

Basically, the answer was hinted at by another poster.

For anyone who doesn't trust the government, the point to make is that 
crypto use is currently a red flag. Last year I went through great pains on 
this list to point out that right now the gubmint probably doesn't even need 
to break most encrypted messages in order to know something's up. This is 
only possible because outside of a coporate context few individuals use 
encryption.

If everybody uses encryption, then it matters MUCH less if the government 
can break any one message. What costs us pennies to encrypt may cost them 
thousands to break. That's the assymmetry we asyms can exploit. That's where 
we need to depart from a Tim May lone wolf approach to your friendly, 
smiling America-loving flag-waving cypherpunks: "If you don't use encryption 
then you help the terrorists win".

This statement has the added irony of being objectively true, according to 
more international definitions of 'terrorism'.

-TD




>From: Burning Cows with Strauss <steve at njord.org>(by way of Burning Cows  
>with Strauss <steve at njord.org>)
>To: cypherpunks at lne.com
>Subject: Re: "If you use encryption, you help the terrorists win"
>Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 20:37:47 -0600
>
>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
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>
>On Saturday 25 October 2003 04:27 pm, Tyler Durden wrote:
> > Tim May wrote...
> >
> > secure (every ask anyone if they believed there was such a thing as
> > effectively 'unbreakable' encryption? Reglar folks always believe
> > SOMEBODY'S got the technology to break what scheme you use, so "why
> > bother").
>
>I have a few friends like this....anyone have suggestions for ways to 
>change
>their minds?
>
>Basically they say things like "If you think the government can't break all
>the encryption schemes that we have, you're nuts."  This guy was a math 
>major
>too, so he understands the principles of crypto.
>
>I feel pretty confident that 2048 bit encryption is reasonably safe for 
>now,
>but how can I convince others, and how safe should I really feel in that
>opinion anyway?
>
>Steve
>
>- --
>Steve Wollkind        				810 C San Pedro
>steve at njord.org					College Station, TX 77845
>http://njord.org/~steve				979.575.2948
>- --
>All these worlds are belong to us, except Europa.  Take off no zigs there.
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