[Cryptography] Thirtieth anniversary of the impending cryptocalypse

[Peter Gutmann]

Looks like no-one noticed the thirty-year anniversary of S.266, the
Comprehensive Counter-Terrorism Act of 1991, introduced by some little-known
senator from Delaware, which contained the clause that motivated the release
of PGP 1.0:

  It is the sense of Congress that providers of electronic communications
  services and manufacturers of electronic communications service equipment
  shall ensure that communications systems permit the government to obtain
  the plain text contents of voice, data, and other communications when
  appropriately authorized by law.

I was reminded of this by yet another "going dark" claim from law enforcement.
You'd really think that after thirty years of an impending apocalypse of
encryption-enabled terrorism, kidnapping, brigandage, jaywalking, and Morris
Dancing, they'd try a different tune...

On a more serious note, the fact that after thirty years nothing in the debate
has changed is probably why, after thirty years, nothing in the (non-)outcome
of the debate has changed.

Peter.