[Cryptography] Alice, Bob, Eve, Mallory, Maxwell ???

[John Denker]

This is a nice fun thread.

On 01/02/2016 07:34 PM, Peter Gutmann wrote:

> Vidkun, or is that too obscure?

Works for me.

  The technical meaning of such names always has to be explained
  on first use.  The cultural reference exists at a second level,
  for style points and mnemonic value, so it's harmless if the 
  reader doesn't get it until later.

There are a number of possibilities in the traitor / collaborator /
turncoat category.  Some are open to multiple interpretations:
  Antenor
  Benedict
  Brutus
  Cain
  Delilah
  Ephialtes
  Jafar
  Judas
  Malinche
  Mata
  Vidkun

There are others who infiltrate from outside and only pretend to 
insider status, e.g. parasite / special operations / undercover /
double agent / naughty guest:
  Cowbird
  Donnie
  Judith
  Molothrus

There are also naughty hosts:
  Ptolemy
  Sweeney
  Yael

Ray Dillinger <bear at sonic.net> writes:

>> If I were to ask for additional bad-guy names, I think I'd want one for
>> providers of "legitimate" hardware/software who make backdoored
>> hardware/software instead.

In the naughty vendor category we have:
  Mrs. Lovett

If we're going to allow last names, then counterfeiters with
distinctive names include:
  Mr. Arnaouti
  Mr. Bourassa
  Mr. DeBardeleben
  Mr. Talton