PGP encryption author guilt stricken

[sunofwolf]

I thought the CIA broke that code but it takes time to break the code or is that just more bunk?, There is more powerfull programs out there? What is the most powerfull program? People need these programs to protect themselfs from goverment's out of control-passing more laws that do nothing but halt peoples freedom- any tech can be used for evil.:o

[tangluva]

That's life. People with bad intentions are gonna do stupid things regardless. From the invention of dynamite (someone name the creator) to the internet anything meant to be used responsibly will get out of hand by some selfish idiot. As long as sin exists (SoapBox topic, but we're not talking about that) it's a part of our world.

Edit: Also Mr. Zimmerman shouldn't feel guilty; the people who did all this s**t should b/c of the fact that they killed mostly civilians and even degrated the name of their people. :mad:

[jansson_markus]

CIA has not broken the PGP...as far as we know about it. I believe that it is possible that NSA or similiar have broken some algorythms used by PGP or have found faults in its implemention and program that allow "breaking it". But its not easy anyway.

I dont understand why PZ feels guilty about PGP, terrorist can get their hands into any crypto they want. Or steganography which is even harder to "crack". PGP is excellent product. Everything can be used both for good and for evil.

[flashngcurser]

TnT= Nobel (ya the peace prize guy)

[knucklebusted]

Things, inanimate or software, are not evil in themselves. People with evil minds devise ways to make anything known to man do their bidding. A nail gun is a tool for good but it can kill. The frozen leg of lamb is food to 999,999 out of a million. It takes just one person to club another with that same leg of lamb to make it a murder weapon. I dare anyone to name a useful item that can't be used to harm another. And remember, the pen (digital or physical) is mightier than the sword.

[sunofwolf]

If the code is broken by the nsa doesn't that mean the gov already has the key to decode PGP? I bet its another secret they keep to themself's that's why people pay them 18+ billion to sit on their *** and not share the info with other gov agency's. I believe about 1% of anything any gov says,! That"s why I get a kick out them,- gov will tell you anything to get a vote, the only people that screw up and get payed for it is the gov, screw up more you get more -0-overtime. What happen's when company's screw up-out of business-not more wasted dollors! If I sound un feeling it;s because I know enoth not to trust gov to solve any situation- Roland Regan said something like pull up your boot straps and solve your own problem's- .- One of the few statements are true. , because noone else will, especially newsmen, politics , religen, gov , lawyers ect. Just think about this I heard the FBI knew 200 madmen where comming here and did nothing- I think to get more overtime and more money pump into their coffer's! Why does the news media go along with this ****! I heard no head's rolling!? :D :cool: :rolleyes: :eek: :p :) :o

[mileandahalfhigh]

Mr. Z should not be guilt-ridden . . . any moderately intelligent group of people can compose an internal code of their own which would be seemingly random, totally innocuous and absolutely unfathomable by others or any crypto-nerd and his equipment.

[corrupted]

how many people remember the other things Nobel invented? off hand i can think of black powder, gunpowder, various other explosives and chemicals. the man set up the peace prize because of his consciense, and it didn't help him in the end. the work he did was of the utmost importance to everyone on the planet, in some way or another. nobody even realises how much he did for our technological abilities.

and we're supposed to be the most advanced civilisation on the planet :rolleyes:

[Banti]

The reason he invented to TnT was to make a more stable form for Nitro Glycerine. His brother was killed when the family's Nitro factory blew up.

Banti

[Strawbs]

They would have broken the code years ago, but denial serves two purposes, The first is they can blame encyption software and have it outlawed, and the second is that some people will beleive they can't crack it and send more evil info and be caught (propoganda), That works for me anyway.:cool:

[corrupted]

makes sense to me. if you can't sole the problem, eliminate it.

[Varmint Hunter]

Originally posted by sunofwolf
<snip>Just think about this I heard the FBI knew 200 madmen where comming here and did nothing- I think to get more overtime and more money pump into their coffer's! Why does the news media go along with this ****! I heard no head's rolling!?

Real story about previous car bomb in towers only made NYTimes. Mole asked handler if a substitution should be made for the requested explosive. FBI handler said no, give them real explosive for sting. If someone hadn't removed the sawhorse from their spot next to the support column and forced them to park 1 car away results may have been quite different.

[JL_in_Vail]

Phil Zimmermann is not as "guilt stricken" as the press makes him out to be - nor should he be. First, he carries no more guilt than the Boeing engineers who designed the 757 and 767. Yes he feels badly that his product MAY (repeat MAY) have been used for terrorist communication. However, he knows it is definitely being used by human-rights organizations operating under the noses of repressive governments.
As far as whether he should have put PGP out for all? Consider that encryption software is readily available from a number of other countries (and possible easier to get for individuals who have an agenda against the US), and the chances that Phil Zimmermann and PGP made any significant difference is slim.

[gekman]

Nobel didn't have to invent black powder. The Chinese did so a LONG time ago, and Europeans were killing each other with it in the 1500's. Hell, my friends and I were making our own when we were 10 or 11.:D

[Varmint Hunter]

Nobel invented dynamite, ie. he "stabilized" nitro by absorbing it into diatomaceous earth.

[corrupted]

gekman, you're right, i stuffed up. thanks for setting me straight. still, the device doesn't do the damage, so much as the people decide to make it do the damage. the instrument of mass destruction only does damage once set off. the creater of a tool doesn't ever intend it to be used for death or vengence. well, not usually anyway. people do thiese things, and we'll never truly be rid of them.

[AROCK!!!]

Originally posted by sunofwolf
If the code is broken by the nsa doesn't that mean the gov already has the key to decode PGP? I bet its another secret they keep to themself's that's why people pay them 18+ billion to sit on their *** and not share the info with other gov agency's. I believe about 1% of anything any gov says,! That"s why I get a kick out them,- gov will tell you anything to get a vote, the only people that screw up and get payed for it is the gov, screw up more you get more -0-overtime. What happen's when company's screw up-out of business-not more wasted dollors! If I sound un feeling it;s because I know enoth not to trust gov to solve any situation- Roland Regan said something like pull up your boot straps and solve your own problem's- .- One of the few statements are true. , because noone else will, especially newsmen, politics , religen, gov , lawyers ect. Just think about this I heard the FBI knew 200 madmen where comming here and did nothing- I think to get more overtime and more money pump into their coffer's! Why does the news media go along with this ****! I heard no head's rolling!? :D :cool: :rolleyes: :eek: :p :) :o At last someone that understands the world and knows that all Gov's including the U.S. are corrupt and getting fat and rich!! For everyones info in 1993 after the 1st bombing of the WTC FBI agents found the plans for the attack in an apartment, the terrorist org was linked to osama bin, and the plan was very spacific naming the WTC and pentagon as the tergets to fly the aircrafts into!!! Why did the Gov not investigate this and start to step up security?!?!?!?!?!?!?!:eek: P.S. the media, most of all CNN is Gov controled propoganda!! They report what the Gov wants the people to believe!!! Go to skynews.com or .Uk and you will see a major differance in reporting!!

[vass0922]

He has no reason to feel guilty

Does that mean the wright brothers should feel guilty about inventing the plane? Maybe the inventors of fuel should feel guilty cause the plane was full of it when it exploded?
Or the inventor of the building because it was there to be hit?

NO

People invent good things with good purposes in mind, if we're afraid of inventing things for fear of what some twisted freak does with it, we'll become a world living in the dark ages.

[corrupted]

originally posted by vass0922:People invent good things with good purposes in mind, if we're afraid of inventing things for fear of what some twisted freak does with it, we'll become a world living in the dark ages.
and if that happened, there'd be alot more minds going to waste. do we really want that to happen? i don't.

[Scorpio69]

I think it's understandable that he feels a little guilty. Any man of conscience would. That does not mean he should, he has no reason to be ashamed. I hope he can put it into perspective and move on.

BTW, I do not believe the government of the USA would allow encryption to be distributed to it’s citizens if it could not crack it. My opinion.

Say what you will about the morals and ethics of politicians (or lack thereof); just don't say that they're stupid. America is THE superpower for a reason, and there is little room for ineptitude in our government. Everything happens for a reason and serves the interest of someone, if not all of us.

[corrupted]

my only problem is when the needs of the few are put before the needs of the many.

[Scorpio69]

Corrupted - I could not agree more with you. However politicians are just people like anyone else, sometimes they put their own interests first.

[corrupted]

this is very true scorpio. very true.

[Ad3pT]

Any tool can be used for purposes other than those intended by its creator - just look at mankind.

Mr. Zimmerman should instead be proud to have given citizens a way to protect their privacy a little further.

This is an unfortunate incident, but he should not feel responsible in any way for the (possible yet unproven) use of his product by terrorists.