RE: S/MIME

This is not true.

If you read the S/MIME specs it says one MUST implement the RC2/40
algorithm. A MUST in an RFC has a very definate purpose: If an 
aplication
does not implement all MUST sections of the RFC then it is not 
compliant!
To create an S/MIME compliant application one MUST implement RC2/40 
and
one MUST pay RSA to do so!!

   Umm....  If you read what I wrote, you will see that I said "S/MIME 
DOES implement 40 bit RC2, but it ALSO implements XXXXXXXX. 
 Personally, I'd rather see even weak crypto getting world-wide 
deployment than seeing no crypto getting out because of stupid 
draconian export laws.  However much you may dislike their "weak 
crypto", Netscape and Microsoft are getting more seats of 
crypto-compliant software out there than PGP ever has.  And once the 
infrastructure is out there where everyone can use weak crypto, people 
will (hopefully) realize that it is insecure, and shift to stronger 
algorithms that ARE supported currently in domestic US/Canada 
versions, and which I'm sure someone outside of the States will have 
coming out in the near future, if they're not already there.

Netscape, Microsoft, and RSA are letting thier greed get in the way 
of
developing a message encryption protocol that provides strong crypto 
to
ALL users.

   Either that, or Netscape, Microsoft, and RSA are being practical 
and doing something that will legally put SOME cryptography in the 
hands of everyone today.  It's all in how you look at it.

							ian

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In
<c=CA%a=_%p=NorTel_Secure_Ne%l=APOLLO-971104154014Z-34701@mail.entrust.com>,
on 11/04/97 
   at 10:40 AM, Ian Clysdale <iancly@entrust.com> said:

>   Either that, or Netscape, Microsoft, and RSA are being practical  and
>doing something that will legally put SOME cryptography in the  hands of
>everyone today.  It's all in how you look at it.

There is an old saying in the Security Field: "Poor Security is worse than
no security at all".

I doubt that you would find few if any that would agree with you that it
is a good thing having the masses using weak crypto. At least the US
members of the Open-PGP group are willing to sacrifice overseas sales in
the effort to provide STRONG crypto to EVERYONE. It is the right thing to
do. I am sorry to see that you do not uderstand this. 

If you choose to dance with the Devil to line your pockets that is your
choice but don't expect me to recomend that anyone join in with you.

- -- 
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
William H. Geiger III  http://www.amaranth.com/~whgiii
Geiger Consulting    Cooking With Warp 4.0

Author of E-Secure - PGP Front End for MR/2 Ice
PGP & MR/2 the only way for secure e-mail.
OS/2 PGP 2.6.3a at: http://www.amaranth.com/~whgiii/pgpmr2.html                        
- ---------------------------------------------------------------

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