Re: two messages on "security" -- one for a hearing the other a rumor

[David Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

Posted-Date: Fri, 18 Mar 1994 15:03:03 -0500
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 94 15:03:01 EST
From: denning@chair.cosc.georgetown.edu (Dorothy Denning)
To: farber@central.cis.upenn.edu
Subject: Re: two messages on "security" -- one  for a hearing the other a rumor
Cc: denning@chair.cosc.georgetown.edu


Dav,


I just sent the following to RISKS in response to the rumor about
Clipper:




Risks 15.66 included a brief from "Network World," which referenced a
story in the "Security Insider Report" suggesting that Aldrich Ames
could have had access to Clipper's classified SKIPJACK algorithm or
Clipper keys.  A New York Times reporter asked me about this rumor
a few weeks ago, and the whole idea struck me as so obviously absurd
that I could hardly stop laughing.  Nevertheless, I did check it
out with people who would know.  They confirmed what I thought.  The
whole rumor is total nonsense.


What I don't understand is why people persist is spreading rumors and
speculation that have no basis and don't even make sense.


Dorothy Denning