Re: Idaho Killer Holds Encryption Key to Laptop Mystery

["Fergie" <fergdawg () netzero net>]

I feel compelled to comment on this:

This is very unfortunate situation, no doubt.

Having said that, one should not be swayed by the (false) argument
that strong encryption in the hands of the masses will eventually
lend itself to more of these unfortunate situations -- it does not
change the fact that criminals will commit crimes, regardless of
the technologies available to them which may be used to attempt to
conceal them.

Technologies such as strong encryption, anonymity, and others
which enhance & protect an indivual's privacy are genies which
are already out of the bottle, so to speak, and their usage should
be encouraged -- especially given the sorry state of affairs with
the continual advance of governmenatl meddling in this area in the
name of the "War on _____."

$.02,

- ferg

p.s. They should have never plea-bargained with this crimal in
any way, shape, or form.

-- "Richard M. Smith" <rms () bsf-llc com> wrote:
 http://www.tribstar.com:80/news/feeds/apcontent/apstories/apstorysection/D8KQUA580.xml.txt
/resources_apstoryview 

Idaho Killer Holds Key to Laptop Mystery

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
The Associated Press

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho —

As the man accused of kidnapping two children and killing their family
waits in a jail cell for a federal indictment to be handed down, he
still holds what could be a bargaining chip: An encrypted laptop that
may contain more horrors.

The FBI's top hackers apparently have been unable to break through
Joseph Edward Duncan III's security encryptions, and a plea bargain
Duncan's lawyers struck Monday with state prosecutors says the key must
only be shared with his defense lawyer.

The computer key may provide Duncan some negotiating leverage in the
next few weeks when authorities file federal charges that are expected
to carry the death penalty.


--
"Fergie", a.k.a. Paul Ferguson
 Engineering Architecture for the Internet
 fergdawg(at)netzero.net
 ferg's tech blog: http://fergdawg.blogspot.com/


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