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From: dag@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: What are Secure Lines?
Message-ID: <15969@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 9 Jan 91 02:41:32 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 24, Message 7 of 9


lars@spectrum.cmc.com (Lars Poulsen) writes:

>In article <15743@accuvax.nwu.edu> astph!joe@cs.psu.edu (Joe
>Broniszewski) writes:

>>I read ... "The Cookoo's Egg" by Cliff Stoll. ... In the book, Cliff
>>mentioned what he called a *secure line*.  When ever he called a government
>>agency that meant business (ie. FBI, NSA, CIA) they would call him back on
>>one of these secure lines.

>I think Cliff was working for LLBL, i.e. DoE. They would qualify for
>the STU-III program, so I think that's what he meant.

>STU-III is an encryption protocol; essentially, the telephones switch
>to "data mode" like modems. Any IEC may be used to carry such calls.

Cliff worked at Lawrence Berkeley Labs (LBL) at the time.  LBL is
frequently confused with Lawrence Livermore Labs (LLNL), and although
they work closly on many projects they are definately two different
beasts.

I worked in the office next to Cliff for a couple of years and I can
assure you that neither of us had or wanted any special phone lines
other than the standard unsecured, government issue FTS lines.  I do
recall hearing of a special phone line at one point but I believe
there was only one of 'em at the whole lab.  I have no idea where it
is, and I doubt if Cliff would know about it.  LLNL on the other hand
is crawling with spooks and special phone lines.


Cheers,

dag