Re: NII, NSA and Computer Security Act of 1987

[tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)]

My last post, Rainbow Gathering, generated more responses--on the list
and in my mailbox--than I've gotten in a long while. By contrast, my
post last night on Dining Cryptographers generated no reponses. I will
try to learn from this curious situation. (You have been warned.)

But on another matter:

David Koontz wrote:

> The title is 'Security Issues of the National Information Infrastructure (NII)
> "U.S.Citizens Only.  Classified SECRET"

> Who the hell co-opted NII for National Security?  Every discussion to date
> (at least on the internet) has shown no link to National Security, which
> should be the only way NSA is involved.

National Security is to the National Information Infrastructur as the
National Defense Highway Act was to the building of the American
Interstate Highways in the 1950s and into the 60s.

As you all probably have heard, the glorious interstate highways were
built--in the single largest engineering project in the history of the
U.S. (probably not the world, as the Great Wall was pretty
big)--mainly as a part of the Cold War, as a means of transporting
tanks, troops, supplies, and manufactured goods quickly and
efficiently. (Eisenhower had once led an Army group across the back
roads of America in the 1920s or 30s, and was later mightily impressed
by the German autobahns; he pushed for the Defense Highway Act as
President.)

And don't forget it was ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency), a
Department of Defense agency, that funded/developed the ARPANet. (My
first exposure was as a physics student, with an account on the nascent
ARPANet, in 1973.)

I'm not one bit surprised that the NII is being effectively hijacked
by the national security state. That was always the agenda.

> Is our friendly TLA breaking CSA 1987 or has Congress been sold a bill of
> goods?  (This is analagous to making the phone system a matter of National
> Security, something more in tune with an Evil Empire.)

The NCSA was always a bit of a sham. Remember that it was supposed to
replace DES with a new secure standard, and was supposed to ensure the NSA
had no role in setting civilian policy. The "leash" on the NSA, and
the new role of the National Computer Security Center, have not
exactly turned out as announced, have they?

A few Executive Orders and National Security Decision Directives got
in the way.

--Tim May




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Timothy C. May         | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,  
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