analysis: attack PKP driven? significance of June 1, 1991

June 1 1991 is the date that both the MobyCrypt and PRZ subpoenas reach
to. What is the significance? the early indication: this is the date
of the 'official' release of PGP 1.0.

C'punks: upon further reflection this dual assault seems to be ostensibly PKP 
motivated/driven.  It is possible the prior NSA harassment of Moby Crypto was 
just a shocking coincidence. As reported on this list by D. Barnes 
<cman@io.com>, NSA had been prodding Austin Code Works (Maria Nekam) over 
DES export many months prior to this date. Does ACW currently deal with 
cryptographic software? how is it NSA was bugging them *months* ago?
did Grady Ward indicate that long ago publicly (Usenet) his intent to use
them as a publisher? This reminds me of stories of censorship of Yardley
from Kahn (The Codebreakers) and censorship of Kahn reported by Bamford 
(Puzzle Palace) -- somehow, the NSA just *knows* when publishers are coming
out with information related to cryptography or the NSA (I wonder how? 
<wink, wink>). We need more information: 

- how long has the NSA been harassing Austin Code Works?
- does Austin Code works currently deal with cryptographic code?
- or is this all entirely due to Grady Ward's Moby Crypto project?
- was NSA complaining about (1) DES or (2) something else? export?
- how did NSA find out that Austin Code Works was involved with Moby Crypto?

On the other hand, the evidence that this is primarily PKP motivated seems
to be in the primarily *PGP* and *RSA* oriented aspect of the subpoena 
queries. My current pet theory is that PKP has seen Grady Ward talking about
his cryptographic recipe book on newsgroups (Bidzos has been known to track
and respond on sci.crypt) and lumped him in an accusation & complaint, 
filed with the customs office, that ITAR laws on cryptographic export of 
cryptographic algorithms have been violated -- hence the investigation by a 
customs agency, the PGP 1.0 release date, the Viacrypt timing, etc. Maybe
PKP got the impression that G. Ward was including RSA Source code -- has he
said so on Usenet? -- this would be very inflammatory for them. RSA has
virtually *no* international protection, all the patents only apply in the
U.S. Finally, there is some other peripheral evidence regarding PRZ in this 
line I'm not really at liberty to state.

that's the current 'conventional wisdom', anyway, subject to nanosecond
fluctuation.

Point: I think this new episode will without any doubt resolve whose side PKP
is on. They've successfully remained in the shadows, like the NSA, until
now, but like the NSA is discovering, continuing this will be impossible...

Another point: remember the amazing scrutiny given to the E911 document,
its *exact* and *precise* path of geneological distribution and leaking
in the court proceedings and subsequent literature (e.g. B. Sterling, 
Hacker Crackdown)? I suspect, very soon, the same laserlike magnifying-glass
pinpoint attention is going to be focused on exactly *who* first made
PGP available *internationally* outside the U.S. -- anyone who can come
forward with information on this (it all appears to have transpired in 1991)
will be momentously affected. I don't know if this can be traced as effectively,
however. The tracks are bit cool, and some people may not want to exactly
*announce* this information.

"L. Detweiler" says:
> 
> C'punks: upon further reflection this dual assault seems to be ostensibly PKP
> motivated/driven.  It is possible the prior NSA harassment of Moby Crypto was
> just a shocking coincidence.

Why all this silly speculation? We will all know the complete answers
soon enough. There is no need for us to reach out and "investigate".
There are lots of better uses of our time. Cypherpunks CODE, remember?
Go out and code or give radio interviews. Trying to second guess facts
that we will soon have directly in our hands seems unnecessary.

> We need more information: 
> 
> - how long has the NSA been harassing Austin Code Works?
> - does Austin Code works currently deal with cryptographic code?
> - or is this all entirely due to Grady Ward's Moby Crypto project?
> - was NSA complaining about (1) DES or (2) something else? export?
> - how did NSA find out that Austin Code Works was involved with Moby Crypto?

"We" need no information. We are not the attorneys. EFF and the rest
are involved and have fine lawyers and investigators. Anything "We"
uncover will be useful only for personal amusement. "We" don't even
have our facts right -- the "NSA" has not been directly harassing
ANYONE. Although we may speculate with some likely accuracy that the
NSA has been involved, it is the Commerce and State departments that
enforce the crypto export laws.

I'd calm down, Mr. Detweiler. Write some code -- its a productive
persuit.

Perry