[Cryptography] [cryptography] NSA co-chair claimed sabotage on CFRG list/group (was Re: ECC patent FUD revisited

[ianG]

I think, like James, I see the sacrificial lamb approach.  There is 
benefit in watching what they are up to.  If a measurable push comes out 
of the IAB's CFRG, then this is a clear signal to avoid that like the 
plague.

Pushing ECC patents.  Pushing NIST curves.  Clear signals!

Without those signals, where would we get our information? I've always 
thought that IPSec, DNSSec, and similar were highly suspect because the 
IETF was there at the start, precisely.  Unlike say SSH which was cut 
from whole cloth, in original form, or Skype which had to be sold to the 
borg, before it could be assimilated.



In the wartime OSS Simple Field Sabotage Manual, it suggests things like:

  (4) Bring up irrelevant issues as frequently as possible.

  (6) Refer back to matters decided upon at the last meeting and attempt 
to reopen the question of the advisability of that decision.
...
  (2) "Misunderstand" orders. Ask endless questions or engage in long 
correspondence about such orders. Quibble over them when you can.

  (7) Insist on perfect work in relatively unimportant products; send 
back for refinishing those which have the least flaw. Approve other 
defective parts whose flaws are not visible to the naked eye.

  (10) To lower morale and with it, production, be pleasant to 
inefficient workers; give them undeserved promotions. Discriminate 
against efficient workers; complain unjustly about their work.



Written from those times.  It would be fascinating to read a current 
version, one that had been written with the IETF and national standards 
orgs in mind.  Maybe someone could reverse-engineer these emails to 
figure it out?

iang