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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 1/21/26 9:14 AM, Steven M. Bellovin
wrote:</div>
<p>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="" class="moz-quote-pre">I don't recall OTPs being used by the SOE—the problem of keying material
distribution was too great. Instead, they used worked-out keys which were
destroyed after each use.
</pre>
</blockquote>
In the talk he made it sound like OTP became a real thing, but he
also still seemed exasperated, decades later, at how hard it was
to deal with the companies who produced the printed silk the SOE
agents needed. (I bet they kept violating the clearly silly
one-time aspect.) The WOK was much more frugal with key material,
possibly OTP was always more his goal than ever a working reality.
After all, the title of the book, <i>Between Silk and Cyanide</i>,
is the tension between the value of silk vs the value of the SOE
agent's life.</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:E231CEBC-9B6F-404E-9C59-5832F19958D5@cs.columbia.edu">
<pre class="moz-quote-pre" wrap="">I've been traveling so I haven't had a chance to watch the talk yet, </pre>
</blockquote>
<p>Amazing how much he fit into 20-something minutes.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:E231CEBC-9B6F-404E-9C59-5832F19958D5@cs.columbia.edu">
<pre class="moz-quote-pre" wrap="">but the book is very much worth reading.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<p>My copy is on the way. </p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>-kb</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Off topic: Very inexpensive book, a "Good" condition, used copy,
under $5, delivered. I personally love the bargain from Abe Books,
but it is sickening that used books have to struggle to be worth
more as reading material than as pulp. The bookstores selling
through Abe are on a mission more than in a business. No, not
everything is online. And no, the internet is not "forever" for
the stuff that is.</p>
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