Why "carnivore" type systems can't be (entirely) open source

[Richard Clayton]

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In article <004701c08972$bc66baa0$3e0a989e@eloka>, Owen Lewis
<oml@eloka.demon.co.uk> writes [using a machine whose clock appears to
be wildly inaccurate :(]

>That's a bit silly. The intelligence agencies of the govts of countries,
>great and small, wherever GSM is deployed, have not needed to crack GSM.
>They always have access, according to the arrangements that pertain in each
>country, to the clear voice that is passed on from each cell base station.
>Those whom GSM security has kept out, gnashing their teeth, are those not
>allowed much or any access to the clear voice part of the communications.
>Dependent on circumstances and on country, these groups might include all of
>some of the following:  police, DSS, IR, C&E, private dicks, kibbitzers et
>al.

I think you should probably include in the list that is expected to be
"kept out" - the intelligence agencies of other countries....

... and then you should observe that anyone party to the true details of
GSM (and appreciating the cryptographic implications) will be able to
capture material off the air in all other countries that have fielded
the system.

>Thus, for the purposes for which they were intended, GSM and its methods of
>maintaining privacy in personal telecommunication  have been a roaring
>success.

I'm sure that the relevant agencies have welcomed that

- -- 
richard                       writing to inform and not as company policy

"Assembly of Japanese bicycle require great peace of mind" quoted in ZAMM

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