ANNOUNCE/ANON: Posting in alt.cyberpunk

For those who do not read alt.cyberpunk, I found an interesting
article that I think is applicable to cypherpunks.

Chael Hall

--- Begin forwarded message

Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
Subject: internet and security
Message-ID: <C3AJrG.LpB@dartvax.dartmouth.edu>
From: strake@coos.dartmouth.edu (strake)
Date: 3 Mar 93 02:18:51 GMT

a request to all you folks out there.

I am thinking of doing a research type paper on the internet and security.
More to the point, I'm interested in how the internet users themselves view
security. If internet and security strike some cord in you, please send me
some email about your babblings.

My goal is to get a general impression about how the people
who use the net feel about the security measures that exist or may soon exist
and whether or not they are a help or a hindrance to the net and its use.

For the rest of you on a more specific note, here are some questions that
hopefully will get your creative juices flowing.


Do you think the internet is secure?

What types of security measures would you like to see put in place?

In an ideal world, how would security work? What would be protected?
What kinds of measures would you need to gain access to the information?

Should the DES be the standard for encryption?

Do you think access should be restricted? (period, should all information just b
e free?)

Do you like people who make anonymous postings?

Should a human have _any_ part of the anonymous servers?

What do you think of Hackers? Do you like them? Are the a benefit?

What do you think of the NSA, FBI, CIA, and everything else government related?

If you knew how to hack into your bank account and change the amount of money yo
u had, would you?



If you have an answer to one (or all or anything in the middle) of these
questions please email me back with your answer. Help me pass my classes
and graduate. *grin*


--
strake@dartmouth.edu
its not pop, its not coke, its not soda. where I'm from its a 'soedaher'

FYI, my personal responses:

>Do you think the internet is secure?

     Nope...  There are lots of "security holes" discussed in alt.hackers
and related places.

>What types of security measures would you like to see put in place?

     I don't think much security is necessary...  If you must have some,
let's make sure terrorists can't bomb the computer systems between me
and the outside world so that my Internet work can get done.  :)

>In an ideal world, how would security work? What would be protected?
>What kinds of measures would you need to gain access to the information?

     Well, I think each user should have a "public" area and a "private"
area.  Public stuff can be seen by anyone wandering by.  That could be
the casual observer using anonymous FTP or NFS mount or someone local to
your system.  Private stuff should be kept away from the sysadmin's eyes
as well...  There is no good way to do this, of course.  I would like
either of the following scenarios:  sysadmin has a laissez-faire attitude
to my files and how I use the system or sysadmin can't see or control
either of the above.

>Should the DES be the standard for encryption?

     No.

>Do you think access should be restricted? (period, should all information just b
>e free?)

     What I want protected should be protected and what I want available
should be available.  Right now, I have difficulty making what I have
available to others.  At the same time, I don't have enough quota to do
any kind of work (my account is full with PGP 2.1, the remailer, and my
mail.

>Do you like people who make anonymous postings?

     On an individual basis, I like some and dislike some.

>Should a human have _any_ part of the anonymous servers?

     Yes, the human should be there to answer questions and reboot the
server when it hangs.  :)

>What do you think of Hackers? Do you like them? Are the a benefit?

     I like them and I think that much of the work that has been done
for the good of the community has been done by hackers.  I think it is
important to be able to finger a soft drink machine at a university in
another state.  :)  I vigorously agree that they are beneficial.

>What do you think of the NSA, FBI, CIA, and everything else government related?

     Well, if that isn't a way to lump it all together...  The government
of the U.S. and the U.K. and Australia to some extent from what I have seen
seem to believe that they need to have a hand in the control of computers,
information, and computer communications of information.  I think the should
have access and possibly provide access for the poor, but they should not
control any of the above.

>If you knew how to hack into your bank account and change the amount of money yo
>u had, would you?

     Is it traceable?  ;)  No, I wouldn't.  I work for a modest sum and I
spend that money as I see fit.  I live comfortably on what I make, so I
do not ask for more.  When I find that it is too little, I will ask for
more, but stealing is not necessary because I will be happy no matter
how much I have (as long as I have computer access 24 hours a day).

Chael Hall

--
Chael Hall
nowhere@bsu-cs.bsu.edu, 00CCHALL@BSUVC.BSU.EDU
(317) 285-3648 after 5 pm EST