Encrypting to self

[Ian G Batten]

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> If I encrypt a message to Saddam with his key and then send it to him the
> UK law enforcement agencies may come knocking on my door asking me to
> decrypt the message.  If it isn't 'encrypted to self', I can't decrypt the
> message and if I didn't keep a copy of the unencrypted text, all I can
> suggest is that they go and ask Saddam what I wrote.  I can see how they
> wouldn't like this response especially now I don't have the right to
> remain silent. 

Yes, yes, yes, but draw some analogies with non-computer
modes of communication and the whole thing disappears up its
own wotsits.  There are many circumstances under which one
can foresee `law enforcement' knowing that nominally
law-abiding A sent something to suspect B but not knowing
what that something was.  They could have seized FedEX
records.  They could have witnesses to the communication.
They could have seized packaging.  An obvious scenario is
people who send letters, cheques or what have you to
fraudulent financial institutions such as Barlow Clowes: the
investigators may come to such an investigation a long time
after the events took place.

Would it be reasonable to hold that the sender of a letter
which was subsequently destroyed should be able to produce a
copy?  A copy, moreover, which they can show is authentic?
Of course not.  Since most people avoid dealing with
fraudsters and criminals, the only way you could protect
yourself in this case would be to keep notarised copies of
everything you send.

But wait!  What about phone calls?  Suppose it's shown that
innocent you phoned a suspect, and the law enforcement
agencies didn't record the call (perhaps they hadn't got a
warrent at that point, which would of course remove any
possibility of the line being tapped).  You can't off-hand
recall the content of the call.  Should you have taped it?

And so on.  It's all total nonsense.

ian

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