Re: News Flash: Clipper Bug?

smb wrote:
	Perry's right.  Several of us have seen Matt's paper, and the attacks
	really do work.  (Even NSA admits that.)  But out of courtesy to Matt,
	we'd rather leave it to him to discuss the details.

One thing this shows, even if the application of the technique turns out
to be too difficult to be practical, is that Dorothy Denning's evaluation
of the design was worthless.  That team should have found this themselves.
No wonder she was trying to play it down in the NYT.

G

> One thing this shows, even if the application of the technique turns out
> to be too difficult to be practical, is that Dorothy Denning's evaluation
> of the design was worthless.  That team should have found this themselves.
> No wonder she was trying to play it down in the NYT.

It was my understanding that Denning was just looking at the Skipjack
algorithm, and not the clipper unit as a whole.  I wouldn't be too quick
to condemn her on this point.

SINCLAIR DOUGLAS N says:
> > One thing this shows, even if the application of the technique turns out
> > to be too difficult to be practical, is that Dorothy Denning's evaluation
> > of the design was worthless.  That team should have found this themselves.
> > No wonder she was trying to play it down in the NYT.
> 
> It was my understanding that Denning was just looking at the Skipjack
> algorithm, and not the clipper unit as a whole.  I wouldn't be too quick
> to condemn her on this point.

I'll also note that as embarassing as Matt's discovery is, we must
continue to focus on the inherent flaw in the very concept of EES,
rather than on any particular technical flaw. The number of flaws we
can find with public information is limited, and NSA can always
bullshit congressmen until they give up. Besides, technical flaws can
be repaired. If people oppose the CONCEPT of the EES, then it makes no
difference how well implemented it is.

However, I really have to say, Matt's hack is still NEAT!

Perry