Re: Active Eavesdropping of Clipper

[catalyst@netcom.com (Scott Collins)]

Mike Ingle quotes Matt Blaze (and I paraphrase):

  >[...] so the procedure for placing a secure call is to recognize
  >each other's voice in the clear mode, go secure, and read the hash
  >value to each other [...] you have to rely on prior knowledge of each
  >other's voice. [...]

This is out of band WRT the encryption engine.  Note that it can be used
exactly like an asymmetric encryption key for authentication.  You know the
other persons signature/voice in advance and it is hard for an attacker to
reproduce it.


  >[an attacker could] trick you into saying some numbers, digitally record
  >them, and then rearrange them and play them back.

The 'replay' attack.  Of course you always make the other person say the
hash _and_ some (never reused?) data in a lump (re: my earlier post --
concatenate your challenge data with their a^x before signing) for
instance: "Bob, please sing me the hash to the tune of 'Raindrops Keep
Fallin' on My Head'" (Security can be fun).


  >Or introduce enough line noise so the person couldn't recognize your
  >voice, and read the fake key

Signature not valid.  Sorry Bob, I'll have to call you back.  That is, _if_
it's really you.


Scott Collins         | "Few people realize what tremendous power there
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