On Wed, May 14, 2003 at 01:12:30AM -0400, der Mouse wrote:
> >> [...]
> 
> > So, how exactly do you propose that I would bypass the filesystem
> > permissions -- [...] -- without *also* being in a position to obtain
> > any [stuff like the] encryption key?
> 
> > The only reasonable suggestion I've seen from anyone in this thread
> > has involved removable media;
> 
> Isn't that enough?  Most flashdisks are removable.  The world is
> certainly full of removable media.

The use of an encryption key in this manner does not strike me as
a particularly good way to lock media to use on a single system.  There
are a number of good ways to do that that have been discussed in the
literature (and I can think of at least one relevant standard) but
encryption with a block cipher isn't one of them.

> More to the point, what are you objecting to?  Your objections sound a
> whole lot like "I have no use for this so I don't think it should go
> in", despite others who clearly do have a use for it - and even if

What I'm objecting to is the use of complicated code (and math) where
simple operations will suffice and be far more clear.  When your job
involves looking at as much inept, cargo-cult use of cryptography as
mine has for the past few years, you tend to get rather sensitive to
that issue, if you catch my drift.