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From: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Newsgroups: net.crypt,net.politics
Subject: Libyan Crypto-Systems (was Who can be secure?)
Message-ID: <953@cylixd.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-May-86 15:31:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: cylixd.953
Posted: Fri May  2 15:31:07 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 7-May-86 06:18:13 EDT
References: <3221@reed.UUCP> <13462@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <782@mmm.UUCP>
Reply-To: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Organization: RCA Cylix Communications , Memphis, TN
Lines: 19
Xref: watmath net.crypt:704 net.politics:15661

>>  Assuming the information about breaking new Libyan codes within weeks
>>  is correct, does that imply that the NSA is
>>  stellar at the job it does, or that the Libyans use weak
>>  crypto-systems?  
>
>The Libyans use weak crypto-systems.
>

I have read (and unfortunately can't find the reference at the moment)
that the Libyans weren't using a crypto-system at all, but a language,
Berber.  Only a handful of Libyans speak this language, and very few
people anywhere else.  We did the same thing in WWII, with Navajo.  It
worked for us, because no Navajo expatriates (if there were any) decided
to work as a translator for Japan or Germany.  Unfortunately for the
Libyans, at least one Berber expatriate works as a translator for the 
NSA.

	regards,
		Charli Phillips