Re: zero-knowledge protocols

[Scott Bennett <bennett@xxxxxxxxxx>]

     On Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:05:07 -0400 "Rochester TOR Admin"
<onionroutor@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>I'm having a hard time understanding a lot of what you're saying but I
>think I understand the goal which is specifically to root out
>terrorists in this case to help investigators find terrorists. You can
>refer to Roger's link above as to why Tor will never do that.
>
>>  > 2) Or about a system which allows investigators to answer their questions
>>  > without shutting the Tor node down and confiscating the hardware?
>>
>>  Zero-knowledge software should complement tor so to let the server
>>  administrators establish that the investigators are those who pretend to be,
>>  are behind a real case and are legally empowered to probe this or that.
>
>So, if you decide that an investigation is illegal, are you knowingly
>going to withhold the information to grant them access to the server?
>In most jurisdictions [especially those that would be most likely be
>in this situation], it is illegal to do this and you would be forced
>to provide access to the server either way.
>
>Even so, from a larger view, you would not want a tor administrator to
>be put in the situation of choosing when he or she should allow an
>investigator to access their server.  For example, I decide to grant
>police access when they are searching for a pedophile and not when
>searching for an oppressed citizen in china but what about a person
>that is in the grey like a white hat hacker or PETA activist that are
>doing things illegal but not unethical in the eyes of the admin?
>
     Bzzzt!!  Bad example alert:  PETA is to ALF what Sinn Fein is to
the IRA.  Supposedly, it would be the other way around, i.e., PETA and
Sinn Fein (allegedly) avoid illegal activity themselves, but provide
above-ground propaganda to the world regarding their respective
terrorist sister organizations, which *do* act illegally.  Some tor
server operators may privately agree with the terrorist activities,
though I would sincerely hope that they are in the tiniest minority.


                                  Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG
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