IP: FBI gets cash to spend on anti-encryption research

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>
>Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2001 15:37:43 -0400
>From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
>To: cryptography@wasabisystems.com
>
>Anyone want to speculate on what the quote in the first bullet
>point means?
>
>You can find a smidgen more info here (search for encryption),
>which is the report I was quoting from:
>   ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/thomas/cp107/sr042.txt
>
>-Declan
>
>
>http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,45632,00.html
>
>     According to the report accompanying a spending bill that's awaiting a
>     floor vote in the Senate:
>
>       * The FBI will receive an extra $7 million for technology to thwart
>         encryption. The appropriations committee intends for it to be
>         spent on: "(1) analysis/exploitation of systems to allow access to
>         data pre-encryption, (2) recognition/decryption of data hidden in
>         plain sight, and (3) decryption of encrypted data."
>       * Another $7 million goes to a plan to improve "intercept
>         capabilities." The fed-speak for this is "developing broadband
>         capabilities, and procuring prototypes capable of intercepting
>         transmissions outside of the FBI's technical reach." Translation:
>         Create better ways to eavesdrop on cable modems and DSL
>         connections.
>       * Antitrust enforcement gets a boost. The division, best known
>         recently for its dogged pursuit of Microsoft, receives $3.6
>         million extra, but $10 million less than the Bush administration
>         requested. The committee predicts a slew of mergers because of
>         "the collapse of high technology stocks, and the resultant
>         downward pressure on all stock prices."
>       * Las Vegas, St. Louis, Charleston and Kansas City will split $6
>         million earmarked for gun surveillance technology. The plan is to
>         spend it on acoustic sensors scattered around downtown areas so
>         the location of a gunshot can be triangulated and located.
>
>
>
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