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The Case for Key Escrow
contiro
OSAll Contributor
Key escrow is one of the most controversial items in computer security, and probably in computers in general. The NSA introduced the Clipper program which has pretty much fallen flat and the Clinton administration has introduced bill after bill trying to implement key escrow as law. The thing is that key escrow can be good.
Drug dealers: bad. Murderers: bad. Mobsters: bad. Privacy: good. These things are mutually exclusive, right? Possibly. The thing is that the current key escrow proposals are pretty promising.
The main argument against key escrow is that some employee at the FBI (or whatever other agency) can just grab a key and read your encrypted messages. The current proposals call for two seperate agencies to hold the escrowed keys -- and for the FBI to specifically request those keys to be released.
It´s something like a nuclear missile submarine. When orders arrive at the submarine to launch the missiles they´re first authenticated by two people. If they´re authenticated the captain goes on the intercom to the entire ship and announces they´ve received a valid launch code. The executive officer must then echo that announcement. Assuming they both agree, the entire ship must be prepped for launch. They then both have to turn their keys simultaneously.
With the current proposal for key escrow the order would come from the court, which would then be authenticated by two agencies. The two agencies would then each have to individually release one half of the key. The FBI would then combine these two halves to form the key to decrypt the messages. Abuse is impossible with four different authorities involved.
This way encrypted messages about drug deals or terrorist activities could be read by the FBI so that they could head off the activities -- much like they tap phones now. In fact, the key escrow system would be safer than the current system -- where a rogue agent at the FBI could listen in on phone conversations without too much trouble.
So what´s so bad about key escrow?
Related Links
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