Re: [Hampshire] [OT]Hand over your crypto key or else

> There are crypto programs which use 100 random character passwords (each
> character using 250 characters of the ASCII character set). The passwords
> are in a file which is encrypted. If the file gets damaged you lose your
> passwords.
>
> There is no way you can remember the password. The programs have been
> designed this way.
>
> Can give a demo of such a crypto program.

You miss the point.

It's not the difficulty of remembering the key that matters.

It's not whether you store the key in your head or in a key-safe programme.

The salient point is that if you do not surrender the key to the
authorites on demand, or else provide a cleartext version[1] of the
encrypted lump, they can send you to prison.

The way you generate your keys has little importance in comparison to the
loss of your liberty *just because some plod thinks something might be an
encrypted file, even if it's not*. Failure to decrypt something that
cannot be decrypted (because it is just rubbish - not an encrypted file at
all) is a criminal offence under RIPA. Don't think they won't use those
powers...

Vic.


[1] Quite how the Police Farce are going to prove that some random text is
unrelated to the encrypted lump is beyond me; I expect it's down the the
defendant to prove his innocence again, though.