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Security

With vast amounts of personal and corporate information both in databases and being transmitted through communication systems there is a pressing need for security in computer-communication systems. However, the more secure you make a computer-communication system from hackers the harder access becomes for legitimate users. Computer-communication systems can never be made completely secure against unauthorized users. Military style encryptology, the translation of computer-communication information into code, is a current trend in computing and communication. Is all information being used by computers or communicated between people or machines going to be encrypted? Currently there is a major battle between police organizations and business concerning cryptology. The National Security Administration and the FBI want to be able to tap into any communications (with a warrant, of course) for the purpose of catching criminals. They propose a cryptology system developed by the NSA. Computer experts are opposed because they believe the NSA has a backdoor to easily listen to any communication message. Also, organized crime would have the resources to break such a system and steal bank transfers. Businesses generally want unlimited encryption to protect vital corporate secrets. Recently the Clinton administration rejected the NSA encryption scheme.


norman@eco.utexas.edu
Thu Jun 8 16:37:44 CDT 1995