Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!athena.mit.edu!ajdenner From: ajdenner@athena.mit.edu (Alexander J Denner) Newsgroups: comp.misc Subject: Re: Soviet Access to Usenet Message-ID: <8090@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> Date: 21 Nov 88 00:46:02 GMT References: <8081@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> <2672@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> Sender: daemon@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU Reply-To: ajdenner@athena.mit.edu (Alexander J Denner) Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lines: 34 In article <2672@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> lee@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu (Greg Lee) writes: >From article <8081@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU>, by ajdenner@athena.mit.edu (Alexander J Denner): >" ... >" I do not think this would be a very good idea. Now that the Soviets >" do not already have access to American networks (ARPANET, etc.). (I am >" saying that I am sure the KGB intercepts as much internet information as >" they can.) >" ... why make it easier for them to ... >If they already have access, then it couldn't be easier for them to have >access, unless it's a question of degree or immediacy. If their access >is on the record, it would be bad public relations for them to cause >problems. If a network connection is ever permitted, the price would >probably be extra security precautions, in which case the net effect >(pun intended) would be more protection for sensitive information. The only time that the government would willing cause problems is a time when public relations would be their least concern. I agree that one good effect is that security would be tightned for sensitive information, but there is a problem. UUCP does not carry classified information, so that is not my major concern. The Soviets send a great deal of money in the United States having people sort through the immense amount of information that they get. The limit on their acquisition of information is logistic. With a link, they can peruse the info faster, more easily, and much more throughly. Also, the KGB can devote the displaced people in this country to other espionage activities. (They only have a limited number of people in this country.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alexander J. Denner ajdenner@athena.mit.edu 234 Baker House, 362 Memorial Drive mit-eddie!mit-athena!ajdenner Cambridge, MA 02139 ajdenner%athena@mitmva.mit.edu