Re: POISON PILL

["gtoal@gtoal.com" <gtoal@pizzabox.demon.co.uk>]

Stuart mailed this to me by accident and asked me to forward it to the list.

G
:From: "Stuart W. Card" <swc@uc1.ucsu.edu>

:How's this as a dead man encryption protocol:

:1) don't keep any sensitive stuff of your own on your own hardware,
:put it on other peoples' machines (and let them put their stuff
:on yours);

:2) encrypt all of your stuff before transferring it to other peoples'
:boxes;

:3) send the keys that you used to do the encryption to other folks'
:boxes as well (not the same ones on which you stored the files);

:4) if you are really paranoid, Shamir share the keys;

:5) don't keep any local copies of the plaintext, cyphertext or keys;

:6) periodically send messages to the boxes where you have stashed
:your files, saying "Everything is still cool, don't wipe my files
:or my keys.";

:7) if/when it hits the fan and you are pressured to reveal your stuff,
:stop sending those messages -- the dead man switch goes off and your
:files/keys are wiped.

:There are countless variations on this theme, each offering a
:different compromise between security against prying versus
:overhead and the chance of unintended deletion.
:------------------------------------------------------------------------
:Stuart W. Card, Consultant, Card & Associates -- Research & Development
:Box 153 RR 1 Newport Rd Utica NY 13502         315-735-1717 / FAX -8469
:swc@uc1.ucsu.edu or cards@top.cis.syr.edu           "Who is John Galt?"