mae%vygr@Sun.COM (Mike Ekberg, Sun {Graphics Sub-Division}) (05/29/87)
A while back I posted a question on what is a KL-43. The only response was somebody who looked up the device in a catalog of NSA devices. I postulate three reasons for lack of responses: 1. Bored, ie. not another *DUMB* question. Let's talk about *REAL* stuff, etc. 2. Huh?, ie. I dunno... 3. AHA!, ie. I know but can't tell you because you once subscribed to Mother Jones, etc. Well, anyway, after listening to more of the Iran/Contra hearings I think I can answer part of my own question. The Kl-43 seems to be a small, portable encrytion device that enables a group of people to communicate over telephone lines. It looks something like a lap-top computer. It seems to have a port for an optional printer. The encryption I suspect uses one-time 'pads' generated by the NSA for a group of machines. The 'pads' are actually something that looks like a cassette tape. Each pad is good for one day. Further questions: 1. Are the cassettes really cassette tapes? 2. Are they really one-time pads? 3. What is the user interface, do you type in the clear text and it appears on the receivers terminal? 4. What are the gut's of the thing, Z-80? DES chips? modem? mike - Sun uSystems, MStop 5-40