Message to Extropians...others ignore!

(Sorry to send a message this way, but you'll see why.)

The Extropians list has been down for several days as a result of the
security incident involving Panix, the systems off of which the
Extropians list is run. (The security incident is being discussed in
several of the *.security groups.)

Perry Metzger mentioned this a few days ago here, but I am still
getting several messages a day asking what happened to the List, hence
this message to you all.

By the way, a conclusion I draw from this is that an alternative way
to signal list members should exist, even if it's just a very long
list to send mail to from an unaffected system. Sort of an "Emergency
Broadcast System."

Harry Shapiro says Panix is back up and the Extropians list should be
restored sometime today, probably.

--Tim May


-- 
..........................................................................
Timothy C. May         | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,  
tcmay@netcom.com       | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
408-688-5409           | knowledge, reputations, information markets, 
W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA  | black markets, collapse of governments.
Higher Power: 2^756839 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available.
Note: I put time and money into writing this posting. I hope you enjoy it.

Tim May writes:
> 
> By the way, a conclusion I draw from this is that an alternative way
> to signal list members should exist, even if it's just a very long
> list to send mail to from an unaffected system. Sort of an "Emergency
> Broadcast System."
> 
 
Excellent idea! Here's a first blush at a specification for an EBS:
 
 1) Mailing list data should be distributed to "N" sites where "N" is a 
    magic number that minimizes the chance of losing all the copies.
    (Mathematicians, sharpen your pencils!)

 2) The list data should be encrypted somehow to address these concerns:
    A) The keepers of the EBS list can't screw around with its contents
    B) The exposure of the list itself is limited
    C) Duplicate copies of the list can be verified for authenticity

 3) Some sort of signalling protocol should exist for activating the EBS,
    testing, etc. This protocol might also involve authentication (key
    swaps, signatures, whatever) that would require a minimum of "X" 
    participants to accumulate enough data to unseal the encrypted copies
    of the list.

 4) Implementation of the EBS site function should not require involved
    systems programming tasks- a member should be able to recieve and store
    the encrypted EBS data and follow fairly simple procedures to activate
    and test the system without being a [your favorite language here] guru.
    I would guess that many cypherpunks are reluctant to go to their systems
    people and say, "Hey, can you give me unlimited access so I can develop
    an emergency broadcast system for the cypherpunks?"
 
Enough for now- I'll refill my coffee cup, sit back, and watch you pick 
this apart. 'Cypherpunks write code.' Well, here's your chance to implement
a system that has wide appeal, would be fun to play with, and incorporates
distributed data encryption.

........................................................................
Philippe D. Nave, Jr.   | The person who does not use message encryption
pdn@dwroll.dw.att.com   | will soon be at the mercy of those who DO...
Denver, Colorado USA    | PGP public key: by arrangement.