re secret algorithm re clipper chip and crypto key escrow pat rwing uucp pat myrto writes can you while my mind is on it give us one good reason that the algorithm should be a secret algorithm unless this encryption scheme either is a joke or contains features like a master key or other back door for unauthorized eavesdropping hmm here are a couple if the algorithm becomes known it will be easy to produce pin compatible non crippled chips that provide real encryption and privacy because their keys are only in their users hands since skipjack is a symmetric key cypher it needs some way to agree on a session key the released information says that any protocol may be used e g dh from a theoretical point of view this is probably true however from a practical point of view those chips must have some kind of key exchange protocol built in what if it is good old rsa this will mean that the producer will have to pay lots of bucks to pkp by keeping the details secret this can be avoided regards vesselin vesselin vladimirov bontchev virus test center university of hamburg tel fax fachbereich informatik agn pgp public key available on request vogt koelln strasse rm c e mail bontchev fbihh informatik uni hamburg de d hamburg germany
