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Re: to The Atlantic

2 expanded posts · every known parent and child

NODE 97a8cb3aRe: to The Atlantic lefty@apple.com (Lefty)Thu, 2 Jun 94 20:14:13 PDT

>the DES algorithm it approved for commercial usage is breakable by the NSA

Is this a fact or a supposition?

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Lefty [gYon-Pa] (lefty@apple.com)
C:.M:.C:., D:.O:.D:.

NODE 46947206Re: to The Atlantic "Perry E. Metzger" <perry@imsi.com>Fri, 3 Jun 94 05:17:55 PDT

Lefty says:
> >the DES algorithm it approved for commercial usage is breakable by the NSA
> 
> Is this a fact or a supposition?

Its a fact that it can currently break DES, yes. I'll admit that I
have no direct proof, but I would imagine that since DES crackers can
be built for only $1mil or so, they almost certainly have them or
things even more sophisticated. After all, DES is widely used, and
their job is to break encrypted traffic.

I would not agree that there is a "back door" in DES, however. None is
needed anyway.

Perry