solving the wrong problem

[Peter Fairbrother]

Perry E. Metzger wrote:

> 
> Frequently, scientists who know nothing about security come up with
> ingenious ways to solve non-existent problems. Take this, for example:
> 
> http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=00049DB6-ED96-12E7-AD9
> 683414B7F0000
> 
> Basically, some clever folks have found a way to "fingerprint" the
> fiber pattern in a particular piece of paper so that they know they
> have a particular piece of paper on hand.


Didn't the people who did US/USSR nuclear arms verification do something
very similar, except the characterised surface was sparkles in plastic
painted on the missile rather than paper?



-- 
Peter Fairbrother


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