Police control of classified information

[David Biggins]

-----Original Message-----
From: ukcrypto-admin@chiark.greenend.org.uk
[mailto:ukcrypto-admin@chiark.greenend.org.uk] On Behalf Of Roland Perry
Sent: 12 April 2009 12:42
To: ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk
Subject: Re: Police control of classified information

> Do the famous ministerial red boxes ever contain material that's
SECRET?=20

When we did the security system for the computerised red box project for
David Clark, the software was not cleared to such levels, but the
limiting factor in this was the actual algorithms.  The intention was to
add stronger algorithms later, and a requirement for algorithms rated to
SECRET was discussed, so it could perhaps be inferred that they do. =20

A real red box is incidentally a fearsomely heavy thing.  The one the
Chancellor of the Exchequer holds at arm's length on budget day is only
a third the size of normal ones, and I suspect it lacks the normal lead
lining, since I doubt that most of our Chancellors work out that much.

The "Yes Minister" scene of an aide walking in carrying a pile of boxes
is perhaps about keeping the script moving, though a succession of
'security heavies' each lugging in one at a time might have raised more
laughs, and I was given to understand it would have been more accurate.

The reason the project didn't take off as originally planned was that a
minister sat in a car and had one of these things placed on his lap,
apparently nearly cutting off his... constituents.  =20

D.