Here it is: Couldn't remember if the first two articles had been posted but I figured Eric could ftp them even if they were. The 3rd article is the one about Rep. Markey. Ill find his vital info ASAP. -----------------8<---------------------8<---------------- Communications Daily April 19, 1993, Monday Vol. 13, No. 74; Pg. 2 Clinton Sets Policy Review GOVT. WEIGHS IN ON PRIVACY-VS.-ENCRYPTION DEBATE, WITH ITS OWN TECHNOLOGY Clinton Administration Fri. announced sweeping policy directive designed to protect privacy of voice and data transmissions using govt.-developed encryption technology that ensures law enforcement agencies will have ability to eavesdrop. Encyrption is achieved through use of " Clipper Chip" that will be built into telephones, computers, fax machines. Although govt. will adopt new chip as its standard, use in private sector will be on voluntary basis. AT&T Fri. became first company to announce publicly support of Clipper Chip. "We believe it will give our customers far greater protection in defeating hackers or eavesdroppers in attempting to intercept a call," said AT&T Vp Secure Communications Systems Edward Hickey. Govt. already has purchased some evaluation units from AT&T with Clipper Chip installed, said Raymond Kramer, acting dir. of National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST). Govt. expects to purchase "well over the thousands" of such Clipper Chip units, he said, but he couldn't give figures for how many it might buy from AT&T. AT&T spokesman said products with Clipper Chip included will be available commercially in 2nd quarter. President Clinton Thurs. signed Top Secret National Security Directive outlining details of privacy and encryption policy review. Review will bring together industry and govt. experts under direction of National Security Council in attempt to resolve long-running controversy on right of businesses and citizens to protect all forms of communication and govt. right to conduct lawful investigations. Review will take 3-4 months, NIST's Kramer said. Law enforcement agencies are concerned about rising popularity of digital encryption methods. Multinational businesses, worried about economic espionage, increasingly are incorporating encryption technology for all communications. Law enforcement agencies have voiced growing concern that if they don't move quickly to enact laws assuring them access to encrypted and digital communications, they will be at decided disadvantage in attempting to thwart criminal acts. FBI spokesman James Kallstrom acknowledged that "not many" criminals today are using encryption to skirt law, but putting methods in place now to assure means of intercepting such communications "is vital" to law enforcement's mission. Encryption program will be available to any vendor that wants to manufacture chips, Kramer said. However, company that developed and designed chip under sole-source contract from National Security Agency (NSA) -- Mykotronx, Torrance, Cal. -- has solid lead on market. Kramer acknowledged job was handed to it with NSA's full approval of noncompetitive bid contract. He defended noncompetition aspect: "We went out and found the only company capable of delivering this technology." He said govt. has been using Clipper Chip technology for "a while now in classified applications," but declined to say how long it had been in use before White House announcement. Each chip will have 3 unique "keys" issued to it. When manufactured, 2 of those keys will be sent to govt. and will be held by "escrow agents." For law enforcement agency to be able descramble transmissions, it first must get court order that allows keys held in escrow to be released. Only when those keys are used in tandem can law enforcement agencies unscramble codes and listen in on conversations. Attorney Gen.'s office will "make all arrangements with appropriate entities to hold keys," White House said. Those escrow keys could be held by private organizations, govt. agencies or others, Kramer said. But only 2 entities will be chosen and will be responsible for administering data base that will store keys. Attorney Gen.'s office is expected to select escrow key holders "within a couple of weeks," Kramer said. Plan already is drawing fire from civil liberties groups and privacy advocates. Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said White House acted "before any public comment or discussion has been allowed." It said Administration will use "its leverage to get all telephone equipment vendors to adopt" technology. EFF criticized govt.'s sole-source contract, saying there may be other companies that have better encryption technology, and because encryption algorithm is classified, it can't be tested. "The public will only have confidence in the security of a standard that is open to independent, expert scrutiny," EFF said. Privacy experts are concerned that because Clipper Chip was developed under NSA contract, it might have "backdoor" known only to NSA that would allow agency to crack code and bypass court order. Kramer disagreed: "There is positively no backdoor to this technology." Because use of Clipper Chip is entirely voluntary, businesses and private users -- including criminals -- are free to choose other means of encryption, leaving govt. and law enforcement agencies with dilemma they now face. FBI's Kallstrom acknowledged criminals still could thwart investigations if they used non- Clipper Chip products, "but most criminals aren't so smart." Ability of govt. to eavesdrop on Clipper Chip -equipped devices still doesn't solve broader problem: Ability to wiretap conversations moving across digital telecommunications lines. That problem is being addressed separately by FBI's controversial digital wiretap legislation that has failed to find congressional sponsor and is languishing in Justice Dept., waiting for support of Attorney Gen. InformationWeek April 19, 1993 PHONE CHIP BLOCKS UNWARRANTED TAPS The Clinton administration is attempting to balance privacy concerns with law enforcement agencies' ability to eavesdrop on phone conversations and data transmissions. Last week, government engineers revealed they have developed a " Clipper Chip" that can be placed in ordinary phones to encrypt phone communications. Each device containing the chip will have two unique "key" devices that together can decode those communications. One key will be held by a government agency and one by a private organization. Law enforcement officials would need warrants to obtain the keys. The Justice Department plans to purchase several thousand chips, and AT&T immediately announced it will use Clipper in all of its secure communications products. Communications Daily April 20, 1993, Tuesday Vol. 13, No. 75; Pg. 7 [...] House Telecom Subcommittee Chmn. Markey (D-Mass.) has expressed reservations about govt. use of Clipper Chip, encrypted technology that secures transmissions (CD April 19 p2). Markey wrote to Commerce Secy. Ronald Brown asking whether use of technology could lead to "inadvertently increase[d] costs to those U.S. companies hoping to serve both" govt. and private markets. Chip would be mandatory for govt. use, but optional for private sector, although companies might find greater proprietary need to protect data than govt. Markey asked Brown response to 6 questions: (1) Has algorithm been tested by any entity besides National Security Agency, National Institute of Standards & Technology or vendor supplying chip? (2) Who would hold "key" to descrambling data? (3) Does algorithm have "trap door" or "back door" that could allow someone to crack code? (4) How well would encryption devices adapt to rapidly changing telecommunications technology? (5) What would chip cost federal govt.? (6) What is Commerce Dept. assessment on cost to U.S. exporters of computer and telecommunications hardware and software. Markey said he wanted answers by April 28. [...] National Assn. of State Utility Consumer Advocates opens 2-day conference April 22 on "Telecommunications 2000: What's at Stake for Consumers in the Next Century?" at Rayburn House Office Bldg., Rm. 2168. Rep. Markey (D-Mass.) will speak. Vice President Gore is invited luncheon speaker. Three-member panels Thurs. include: 9:30 a.m. -- National Telecommunications Infrastructure, with former Rep. Tauke (R-Ia.), now Nynex govt. affairs vp. 11 a.m. -- Funding Advanced Networks, with Bell Atlantic Federal Relations Exec. Dir. Edward Lowery. 3:30 p.m. -- New Technologies, with Bell Atlantic Information Services Exec. Dir. Steven Craddock. [I know we missed Thursday but can some suits make it tomorrow?] MultiLink has developed software quality assurance package for its audioconferencing bridge known as System 70. Equipment assures multipoint teleconferences will work through simulator that generates Dual Tone MultiFrequency signals to test 2-way digitized messages over telephone lines, company said. [For those interested in DTMF stuff (I know its an aside)] Ill. Bell has begun offering Call Trace for $4 per successful trace to 56 Chicago area communities. Customers would dial *57, preserving number for Bell's Annoyance Call Bureau or police authorities, although users wouldn't see it directly. Unlike Caller ID, offer is available only on per-call basis. [UUUGGGGHHHH!!!!] Matt mjmiski@macc.wisc.edu