More info on Clipper Chip

[Dave Banisar <banisar@washofc.cpsr.org>]

Comments on White House Clipper Plan

I attended the "interesting" NIST press conference yesterday
on the "Clipper Chip" and may be able to clear up a few quaestions.

According to NIST:

The Chip has 4 functions, including
	Key
	Encryption
	Serial Number
	Escrow functionality

Thus, it sounds like a key management system may have to be built
into the devices that will be sold with the chip. However this means that 
they will also be able to determine which key to get becuase they will know 
the serial number. It also seems likely that once your key is compromised, 
its gone forever. This is a serious problem

The Attorney General will determine next week who will be the escrow agents 
for this. I am willing to bet $ that NIST/Commerce will be one of them (not a 
lot, after all, I do work for a non-profit).

Everything about this proposal is classified. The chip is classified but even 
more disturbing, the president directing ordering a review into crypto policy 
is also classified. CPSR has already filed 11 FOIA requests for all 
information, including the directive. You can expect that we will be filing 
suit shortly to get those documents and force this out into the open. When I 
questioned them about why the review was happening after the proposal, they 
did not answer me.

This is not 1984 all over again-its '86. The NSA tried this exact same "black 
box" proposal (minus the escrow) in 1986. Industry laughed them out of the 
park. 

NIST also stated that the proposal has been implimented for 14 months and 
they (NSA actually) have been working on it for at least 4 years. 

AT&T announced yesterday that will will begin selling devices with these 
Clippers in them immediatly. We've been sold down the river by ma bell again.

Dave Banisar
CPSR Washington Office