Schneier on Bernstein factoring machine

Russell Nelson nelson at crynwr.com
Wed Apr 17 11:53:15 EDT 2002


Derek Atkins writes:
 > Russell Nelson <nelson at crynwr.com> writes:
 > 
 > > The union of the two sets of "cryptography users" and "paranoid
 > > people" is necessarily non-empty.  Who would bother to use
 > > cryptography sans a threat model?  And if you've got a non-empty
 > > threat model, then by definition you're paranoid.
 > 
 > I think it's really about degree.  I don't agree that having a
 > non-empty threat model implies you a paranoid.

Yes, you're right (and Phil Pennock points out that I meant
"intersection", not "union").  Dictionary.com defines paranoia as
"Extreme, irrational distrust of others."  I'm not using the correct
word here (nor are other people), because there are rational reasons
to distrust nosyparkers.  So what *is* the right word for having a
non-empty threat model for moderate and rational reasons?

-- 
-russ nelson              http://russnelson.com | Economic ignoramuses find
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521 Pleasant Valley Rd. | +1 315 268 1925 voice | because none of it makes
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