Code breakers crack GSM cellphone encryption

[John Young]

Ian Grigg wrote:

>What's not clear is whether the GSM group can pull this
>trick off next time.  They may have to put in real security
>into the G3, to counter the third threat.  Or, maybe not,
>as now, there is the additional weapon of the law on their
>side, which might be enough to keep the third threat at
>bay.

We'd like to publish examples of GSM threatening researchers,
or threats from authorities instigated by GSM or by the
authorities themselves.

While not likely, did the recent GSM crackers mention at
Crypto 2003 any concern about being threatened by GSM
and friends. The researchers' comment in news reports that 
the crack had been sent to GSM for corrective action is 
provocative.

Finally, did the GSM crackers mention withholding the paper
from public distribution in order to head off a threat.

Times are weird for researchers these days. Self-censorship
is a temptation when research funds are placed at risk, or
worse, when institutions and publishers run scared from 
potential threats and warn scholars to tread carefully.

Recall that Dr. Simon John Shepherd's research in 1994,
"Cryptanalysis of the GSM A5 Cipher Algorithm," is still being 
withheld as classified.







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