[extropy-chat] FWD (SK) RFC: copy protection report

[Herb Martin]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org 
> [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of 
> Adrian Tymes
> Sent: Friday, December 02, 2005 7:42 PM
> To: ExI chat list
> Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] FWD (SK) RFC: copy protection report
> 
> --- Eugen Leitl <eugen at leitl.org> wrote:
> > How do you motivate these hackers for the job?
> 
> If you don't already know this, then this discussion is over,
> as nothing I say will seem to make sense to you (or at least to
> be credible).  Which, indeed, seems to be the case.  Sorry to
> waste your time.

I too am bored with this thread (and most any thread that
goes on to the point that the same things are said back
and forth) but just so your correspondent won't think you
have tacitly admitted defeat by refusing to play this 
admitted silly back and forth game:

Presume there is such an expensive AND essential program
(the figure $200,000 value was thrown around).

This in itself is the motivation the hacker needs, since
if a hacker, on speculation can be reasonably certain, of 
finding even one customer world wide who will pay:  

	$10,000-$100,000

...for a program that SOME consider essential then the 
program is not safe from the world wide hacker communtity.

Also, note that all the really GOOD encryption and certificate
methods, like those using SmartCards, can be defeated (not
quite trivially) AS LONG AS the Source Code is available.

You don't defeat the SmartCard, you merely remove the calls
to the SmartCard from the software.

(Said, by someone who learned to program in Assembler by
doing just that almost thirty years ago.)

My introduction to Assembly Language programming was through
reverse engineering protection schemes (legally, I might
add. <grin>)

[If anyone wishes to start a DIFFERENT argument, I will be
happy to take the position that such SmartCards CAN BE 
used to create a virtually unbeatable "National ID Card"
and thus stop almost all illegal immigration, and control
criminals and terrorists much better, with no serious NEW 
burdens on the honest citizen.  

We in the US, already have a de facto natinal ID in drivers' 
licenses and credit card, and those in other countries have 
them in fact in most cases.

Such will be safe unless and until a fully functional
quantum computer is generally available -- and at that time
the system can be converted to use quantum encryption 
techniques to defeat quantum decryption.]

But that is off topic so please don't take my suggestion
seriously....<grin>

--
Herb Martin