Re: Beware of encrypted processors bearing gifts...

[Jim Burnes <jim.burnes@ssds.com>]

On Sat, 24 May 1997, Lucky Green wrote:

> At 10:28 PM 5/24/97 -0400, Dave Emery wrote:
> >	A three way encrypted handshake between an encrypted agent that
> >was part of the OS and  a smart card and software at an ISP could be
> >used to enforce an internet drivers license law for  example, with no
> >packets being forwarded by the ISP without hard  authentication (even up
> >to biometrics) of the user.  And it would be rather trivial to disallow
> >use of "unapproved" software to communicate over the net, making
> >enforcement of GAK much more complete.  One could even use such a
> >mechanism to forbid use of any  uncertified software on a net connected
> >machine, thus making it rather hard to use such rogue applications as
> >PGP.
> 
> I strongly agree with you. While the motivation that lead to the
> development of such processors stems probably from the desire to thwart
> software piracy, it will make implementation of the "Internet Driver
> License" that much easier.
> 
> [For those new to Cypherpunks, I consider the requirement for an Internet
> Driver License as inevitable as the sun raising tomorrow morning. While the
> event is technically in the future, it will occur with a certainty that it
> may just as well have already happened in the past. Read the graphic novel
> "Watchmen" if you don't understand what I am talking about. Sure, there is
> a small but no-zero probability that the Earth will be vaporized before
> sunrise by a timebomb left by aliens 3.5 million years ago. That's why I
> wrote "as inevitable", as opposed to "inevitable".]
> 

Well...they will TRY...

If this kind of thing gets through without a huge fight from the 
public in general and the crypto community specifically, then we
get exactly what we deserve.

I will be heading for some quiet island at that point.

All aboard for Vonuatu.
(though I hear its not that quiet these days)   8-)

Jim Burnes