Encrypted Credit Card Numbers For Transmission....

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I thought about this recently when I bought a subscription to Wired for X-Mas
for a friend.

Why don't organizations like Wired (who are ostensibly closely connected to
the 'net) not have public keys (ie through Viacrypt, as they are a commercial
enterprise) that subscription purchasers could encrypt a credit card number
to them, and then e-mail that cyphertext file to them for processing. The
company could then snail mail to the purchaser confirmation of the cc purchase
just like what happens for a  credit card phone purchase.

It seems straightforward or am I missing something? I mean, PGP is extremely
widespread, and other organizations encrypt data for transmission between
points with DES, so use of encryption is hardly a novel concept for business
to swallow (particularly a magazine like Wired, who likely have a reasonably
encryption knowledgeable readership or potential readership).

Routine use of encryption at this simple level would likely get the ball
rolling in the direction of other endeavors, like e-cash, or at worst
become another convenience for the customer and allow encryption and the
'net to gain wider acceptance.

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Mark Terka writes:
> Why don't organizations like Wired (who are ostensibly closely connected to
> the 'net) not have public keys (ie through Viacrypt, as they are a commercial
> enterprise) that subscription purchasers could encrypt a credit card number
> to them, and then e-mail that cyphertext file to them for processing.

Some do; see for example http://northpole.net/buttons.html (as noted by Hal
Finney previously).

> [...] use of encryption is hardly a novel concept for business
> to swallow (particularly a magazine like Wired, who likely have a reasonably
> encryption knowledgeable readership or potential readership).

Wired is tired. Someone should call them on this.

Incidentally, I just tried to get into HotWired using the "cypherpunks"/
"cypherpunks" combo I recommended to Amanda earlier this evening. It didn't
work. I'm just about to re-register cypherpunks on it, so don't be surprised
to see a verification key sent to the list soon. I'll summarize to the list
once the new membership seems ready to go.

- -L. Futplex McCarthy

"Your registration [...] encourages responsible behavior and good citizenship 
by discouraging anonymity." --Hotwired, on http://www.hotwired.com/newform.html




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"L. McCarthy" <lmccarth@ducie.cs.umass.edu> writes:

>Incidentally, I just tried to get into HotWired using the "cypherpunks"/
>"cypherpunks" combo I recommended to Amanda earlier this evening. It didn't
>work. I'm just about to re-register cypherpunks on it, so don't be surprised

the account i have been using all along is 'cypherpunk' /
'cypherpunk'. still works. i made the mistake of trying 'cypherpunks'
a few times until i went back and read my mail. but since it's such a
natural mistake, i doubt having both is any detriment. 

-avi