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(fwd) ViaCrypt PGP ships today
I realize that this is a few days old, but I've been up to my
eye-teeth with other network problems and using this dreary
Saturday afternoon to catch up on Net News.
Cheers.
Forwarded message:
> Newsgroups: alt.security
> From: [email protected] (Hugh Miller)
> Subject: ViaCrypt PGP ships today
> Message-ID: <hugh.752165605@gargoyle>
> Sender: [email protected] (News System)
> Organization: University of Chicago -- Academic & Public Computing
> Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 14:53:25 GMT
> Lines: 61
>
> ViaCrypt, Inc., will begin shipping ViaCrypt PGP today, 1 November
> 1993. ViaCrypt PGP is a commercial public-key encryption package which is
> based on, and virtually identical with, the freeware program known as PGP,
> or `Pretty Good Privacy.' (The source code is in fact identical to that of
> the freeware version 2.3a of PGP, with the exception of the RSA encryption
> module, which is one ViaCrypt developed in-house after acquiring a license
> for the algorithm from PKPartners. In addition, ViaCrypt incorporates a
> few bug fixes. The private-key crypto algorithm is IDEA, as in freeware
> PGP, for which ViaCrypt has obtained a license from Ascom-Tech AG of Zurich.)
> ViaCrypt bought its RSA license from PKP before either PKP or ViaCrypt knew
> that ViaCrypt would someday use it to sell PGP. ViaCrypt later acquired
> the rights to sell PGP from Phil Zimmermann. I don't know what PKP thinks
> of this state of affairs, but ViaCrypt's PKP license clearly allows them
> to sell PGP.
>
> Output is byte-for-byte identical with that of freeware PGP 2.3a, except
> that the `Version' header atop the message body reads "Version: 2.4"
> instead of "Version: 2.3a". Keys, signature certificates, binary or
> ASCII-armored ciphertexts, produced by one program will be identical to,
> and transparently handled by, the other. ViaCrypt PGP will (for now) be
> available in the US and Canada only, pending any future relaxation of the
> ITAR export control laws. Phil Zimmermann says no compromises in the
> cryptographic strength of PGP were made for ViaCrypt's version of PGP.
>
> The ViaCrypt PGP package include program disks (executables only, no
> source code), user manual, and individual user license. The current release
> will be for MS-DOS only; ViaCrypt plans to ship a UNIX version soon.
> Introductory price of a single user package is US$100. (For purchases
> of 20 units or more, a substantial discount -- price drops to about US$41
> per user -- is available.)
>
> To purchase ViaCrypt PGP or to find out more about it, you can contact
> them as follows:
>
> ViaCrypt
> 2104 W. Peoria Ave.
> Phoenix, AZ 85029 USA
> 602-944-0773 (Voice)
> 602-943-2601 (FAX)
> [email protected] (Netmail)
>
> I have no connection with ViaCrypt, commercial or otherwise. Indeed, I
> disagree in principle with the concept of algorithm patents. I think,
> though, that the net, and particularly users and admirers of the freeware
> PGP deserve to hear about this. Because ViaCrypt paid PKP for a
> license, users of ViaCrypt can now utilize PGP with absolutely no fear of
> lawsuit for patent infringement. Since ViaCrypt will ship only in
> USA/Canada, ITAR violations are not at issue. This will enable the
> PGP approach, with its decentralized distributed-trust key management,
> to achieve crucial penetration into the corporate marketplace.
> This will speed its acceptance as the de facto email crypto standard,
> as opposed to other centralized or key-escrow schemes, like PEM or Clipper.
> And ViaCrypt PGP will enable U.S. users to communicate completely legally
> with non-U.S. users of PGP 2.3a.
>
> --
>
> Hugh Miller | Asst. Prof. of Philosophy | Loyola University Chicago
> FAX: 312-508-2292 | Voice: 312-508-2727 | [email protected]
> PGP 2.3A Key fingerprint: FF 67 57 CC 0C 91 12 7D 89 21 C7 12 F7 CF C5 7E
>
>
_____________________________________________________________________________
Paul Ferguson
Mindbank Consulting Group [email protected]
Fairfax, Virginia USA [email protected]