[extropy-chat] codes in scam letters

[David Lubkin]

I wrote:

 > To be invisible, it needs to be in the noise. The Powers That Be can
 > enter into newsgroup propagation and randomize noise values before
 > passing the picture on.

Eugen replied:

>Tampering with data in transit, especially content-gnostic noise
>detection and substitution to pass statistic muster would be a
>GIANT SIGN advertising very, very impressive capabilities on
>Mallory's side.
>
>While I have no doubt doing this for very select targets
>would be quite doable, no way this is happening on a mass
>scale. It would be trivially to detect, and would be eventually
>detected. That would plunge everyone in deep paranoia mode,
>which would make Mallory's job much, much harder.

Paranoia cuts both ways.

If the PTB are the feds, why would they need to conceal data-washing? 
While there's a privacy argument for strong encryption, can't they 
argue that there are no legitimate civilian uses for steganography? 
That if they randomize noise bits, the only ones harmed are 
terrorists or criminals.

Of course, there are many other avenues for steg, but I think that 
one could be blocked with minimal political fallout, especially if 
the block was accompanied by the public release of real or fabricated 
evidence of bad-guy steg use.


-- David Lubkin.