Re: ECDL

David Crook (dcrook@commwerks.com)
Mon, 30 Aug 1999 16:32:26 -0700


At 03:14 PM 8/30/99 -0700, Rohit Khare wrote:
>At 2:30 PM -0700 8/30/99, Eugene Leitl wrote:
>>Brute-force cracking of crypto? Why, on earth? There are certainly
>>more wortwhile reasons to burn cycles on.
>
>Wrong. Compared to the miniscule odds of SETI@home, crypto challenges
>*change policy now*. In this case, establishing the security of a new
>cryptosystem -- elliptical curve -- is an essential social good. In a
>world dominated by only a few -- or one -- public key cryptosystem,
>we are risking our futures on a single point of failure.

Exactly at what point was there a policy decision on crypto based on
anything reality? Everyone knows that the only people who use crypto are
drug-smuggling terrorist pedophiles, the FBI says so, and as we all know,
the FBI doesn't lie. These are the people who tend to be the ones settting
crypto policy in the country and in a suprisng number of other countries as
well.

If you want to effect crypto policy, try forming a PAC or something. Money
talks and lots of congress critters have at least shown a willingness to
listen. Some even write up good bills on encryption, but they (the bills)
get gutted in committee. There will always be people in the
intelligence/enforment agencys that think the only good crypto is dead
crypto. You can lead some people to ideas, but you can't make them think.

So stop pretending that these contests will change policy. If you really
do such a great job showing how uncrackable elliptical curve is, they will
try to outlaw it instead of adopting it.

>Run it or don't, that's your choice. I'm just layin' the smack down,
>as Tim would say.

I've got your smack down right here. :-)

Dave

---
David Crook - davec@commwerks.com
CommWerks - Industrial Strength Internet Solutions