Re: Net Driver's License

[Eric Murray <ericm@lne.com>]

Duncan Frissell writes:
> >If an 'Internet drivers license' bill passed next week, it'd take at
> >least a year to get it repealed (probably much longer).  During
> >that time, if the government wished to do so, it could stage any
> >number of provocative acts, blame them on 'Internet Terrorists', then
> >get James Kallstron on tv to announce that the 'Terrorists' have been
> >caught via their Internet Drivers Licenses.

[...]

>Think about it.  An Internet Driver's License could only license a connection
> not communication itself (1st Amendment) and a single Net connection can
> connect to a network that is big on the other side as the rest of the Net
> itself.  Cheating is way too easy.

Oh, I'll agree with that.  I think that governments will do it anyhow.

>From a government standpoint it's ok if it's basically unenforceable, because
it makes a nice "dual-use" tool:  if someone the government doesn't
like is using a forged IDL, they can be busted for that.  Remember, 
wiretaps to gather evidence are now legal if they're "in good faith".
All it takes is one mention of your forged IDL, or a slip in your
code, and the secret's out.
If they do use a valid IDL, then they're traceable and can be
traffic-analyzed into revealing their "co-consiprators", then busted.

Of course these techniques will only be used against terrorists, never
against freedom fighters.

-- 
   Eric Murray  ericm@lne.com         Privacy through technology!
  Network security and encryption consulting.    PGP keyid:E03F65E5