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From: lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein)
Newsgroups: net.crypt
Subject: Re: Secure Mailers--Some Thoughts
Message-ID: <669@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-May-85 15:35:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: vortex.669
Posted: Sat May 25 15:35:11 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 27-May-85 00:04:23 EDT
References: <203@mcc-db.UUCP>
Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles
Lines: 15

While encrypted mail is certainly technically possible in the UUCP net
environment, I see serious political problems with attempting to
use it, except where ALL HOPS along a path have agreed to its use.
The problem is that many site administrators would probably be concerned
about the possibility of highly commercial or somehow illegal messages
flowing through their systems.  As the proportion of mail that was
encrypted increases, administrators, already hard-pressed in many cases
to justify current phone costs, would be in even worse shape.  While
most mail flows through all sites without being looked at by
administrators (we assume, anyway), I suspect that encrypted mail would
raise fears about misuse that don't exist now.  Given the "free
forwarding" nature of the net, I just don't think encryption fits--
unless all hops agree in advance, of course.

--Lauren--