Re: private key encryption program for you to hack at

[Black Unicorn <unicorn@schloss.li>]

On Sun, 24 Mar 1996, Jack Mott wrote:

> Ok, I have been working on this for a while, and I wanted to let you 
> guys have a go at it. I wrote a private key encryption program that I 
> think should be hard to break, I will provide you with the EXE (MS DOS) 
> file, some ciphertext, AND a big chunk of plaintext. The key is not 
> ridiculously large, but it won't be anything obvious so don't bother 
> brute forcing. 

I'm not sure anyone will bother brute forcing or anything else given your 
approach.  Many c'punks take offense at being used like unpaid crypto 
consultants.  A good portion of people on this list bill hefty fees for 
their time (or should).

This is not freecryptanalysis@toad.com.

I think, should you have the right attitude, many people here will be 
happy to review your source code, given some pre-conditions.  Mr. May 
summed these up quite well only days ago in the IDG (or whatever) 
snakeoil thread.  I would suggest you take a gander at his post on the 
subject.  Briefly, (and I hope I'm not butchering his points to 
bitterly), he indicated that unless you had hit on most of the basic 
source material to begin with (applied cryptography for example), and 
really knew a bit about the subject, most people wouldn't much care to 
pay attention to you.

I think, however, that if you know your stuff, and you release the source 
code to the list, many people here will be open minded enough to take a 
good look, give you some pointers, perhaps even improve your work.

I know, however, that almost no one is going to go for that "crack this 
for me please" crap unless there is a bonded cash award attached.

To much time, nothing in it for us.

Take a look at Mr. May's cyphermonicon, (anyone have the URL/FTP handy 
for our new friend?)

In sum, read the basic source material, know your stuff, release the source, 
don't be coy.

---
My prefered and soon to be permanent e-mail address: unicorn@schloss.li
"In fact, had Bancroft not existed,       potestas scientiae in usu est
Franklin might have had to invent him."    in nihilum nil posse reverti
00B9289C28DC0E55  E16D5378B81E1C96 - Finger for Current Key Information