Knuth on crypto...

[R. A. Hettinga]

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To: cypherpunks at lne.com
Subject: Knuth needs killing
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 05:50:20 +0100 (CET)
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Question: What do you think of research in cryptographic algorithms? And
what do you think of efforts by politicians today to put limits on
ryptography research?

Knuth: Certainly the whole area of cryptographic algorithms has been one
of the most active and exciting a reas in computer science for the past
ten years, and many of the results are spectacular and beautiful. I
cant claim that Im good at that particular subject, though, because I
cant think of sneaky attacks myself. But the key problem is, what about
the abuse of secure methods of communication? I dont want criminals to
use these methods to become better criminals. Im a religious person,
and I think that God knows all my secrets, so I always feel that
whatever Im thinking is public knowledge in some way. I come from this
kind of background. I dont feel I have to encrypt everything I do. On
the other hand, I would certainly feel quite differently if somebody
started to use such openness against me, by stealing my bank accounts or
whatever. So I am supportive of a high level of secrecy. But whether it
should be impossible for the authorities to decode things even in
criminal investigations, in extreme casesthere I tend to come down on
the side of wanting to have some way to break some keys sometimes.

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-- 
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R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
-- 
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

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