Re: Ames/ clipper compromised?

[Jim Gillogly <jim@rand.org>]

> wd6cmu@netcom.com (Eric Williams) writes:
> Did anyone else noticed the blacked-out paragraphs in the two FOIA
> documents just before the administration stated its intent to ignore
> all the computer industry's counter-arguments to Clipper?  Does anyone
> else wonder what is there that they found so compelling?

Yes, John Gilmore saw those and wondered about them, and filed an
administrative appeal on them.  Here's the result.  I don't know if it was
posted here before, so I'll apologize in advance if it was.  The second
such document was similarly repaired, and said the same thing in slightly
different words.

   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
   XXXX The entire paragraph that follows was originally withheld as XX
   XXXX classified information.  We appealed the withholding, and XXXXX
   XXXX most of the paragraph was released, with only one or two XXXXXX
   XXXX sentences withheld at the bottom. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

     [(S) crossed out, replaced by] (U)  Trapdoor encryption technology is
   not essential to the debate (a system that required the escrow of keys
   by users of cryptographic technologies could be established even if
   the trapdoor chips did not exist), proposed use of trapdoor technology
   does raise a further complication: neither the academic community nor
   private industry is comfortable with encryption algorithms that are
   kept secret, as will be the case with the trapdoor chip.  It has been
   suggested that an independent panel of cryptography experts will be
   invited to evaluate the algorithm.  This will undoubtedly fail to
   reassure the community at large that there are no unrecognized
   vulneratilities, since the panel will be perceived as captive and
   tainted.  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
   XXXX One or two sentences blacked out via FOIA exemption (b)(1) XXXX

   (U)     Despite these concerns, the President has directed that the
   Attorney General request that manufacturers of communications
   hardware use the trapdoor chip, and at least AT&T has been
   reported willing to do so (having been suitably incentivised by
   promises of Government purchases).

[and so on]

	Jim Gillogly
	Sterday, 8 Astron S.R. 1994, 01:06