C I A non-profit venture capital company

[Donald ramsbottom]

At 10:25 AM 3/1/01 -0000, you wrote:
>I have to agree with Quentin on this one.
>I have been using the SafeWeb portal (www.safeweb.com) for a few weeks and
>it certainly seems to do what it sayd - SSL encrypted traffic between you
>and the safeweb servers to whatever site you are viewing.   Sure, they may
>be logging it but who cares ?   I have to say it does a very good job of
>circumventing any local policies in place, ie URL content filtering and the
>like, as well as stopping those pesky security types from watching where you
>surf during working hours ;-)
>If I truly wanted to remain anonymous then I wouldn't use any 3rd party
>resource unless I had control over them.   Much easier to use someone elses
>laptop (freely available in Tapas bars and Taxis), a cloned mobile(s) and a
>dozen throwaway dialup accounts obtained with false credit cards and the
>like and bounce through dozens of public proxies - not unbeatable I know,
>but a right pain to track.   As I understand it, the CIA wanted a way for
>their people to be somewhat anonymous when browsing websites, an improved
>method than the NSA's Maryland Holdings (or whatever it was - can't remember
>exactly) that they used when asked which company they worked for over the
>phone... I assume GCHQ don't use Universal Exports ? ;-)
>If one of the Three Letter Agencies wanted to track my internet usage, they
>probably would use a more efficient and clandestine method to do it.
>
>Regards,
>            JJ

My only thoughts in putting up this post in the first place was the irony
of anyone who went to the effort of anonymizing themselves, should even
contemplate using a system "funded" by the worlds biggest snooper.

Even if it works against the rest of the world ( I and I have no reason to
doubt it, I'm not a techmarine), I cannot believe that the CIA would have
something which even they could not "crack" should the need arise. What
happens if one of their chaps(esses), goes rogue or native? Afterall the
CIA are even more paranoid than I am (and that's somewhere you don't want
to go)!

I have no objection to the use of the software, but I think the marketing
hype from the penultimate paragraph of the info page referred to in the
original post says it all:

"In-Q-Tel is a venture catalyst that leverages the unique technology
resources of the Central Intelligence Agency and its own highly experienced
staff to evaluate and help develop new IT solutions for both public and
private markets. In-Q-Tel's basic mission is to identify new high-impact
Internet technologies that address the CIA's priority problems. This makes
In-Q-Tel a valuable technology partner, providing entrepreneurs with the
opportunities to develop and refine their cutting edge technologies, access
both capital and markets and to help enhance national security. "

The song of Kaa the constrictor, from Disney's Jungle Book, just hoved into
thought " Trust in meeeee, close your eyes and Trust in
meeeeeeeeeeeeee........." (maybe not verbatim but you get the idea).

This is not intended to criticize anyone, this is just an observation.

Crawls back under rock to hide from incoming
flak.................................

Donald Ramsbottom BA LLb (Hons) PGdip
Ramsbottom & Co Solicitors
Internet and Global Encryption Law Specialists & General UK  Law Matters
5 Seagrove Avenue Hayling Island Hampshire UK
Tel (44) 023 9246 5931 Fax (44) 023 9246 8349
Regulated by the Law Society in the conduct of Investment business
Service by Fax or Email NOT accepted