[net.video] Call for Restraint

die@frog.UUCP (Dave Emery) (10/03/85)

> 	May I politely request that we table the monotonous discussions
> 	of tvro eavesdropping ? Do you believe that Amateur Radio would
> 	be better served by attempting communications between 'hams',
> 	as opposed to listening to possibly illegal communications ?
> 	If you do, please urge the other folks out there to relegate
> 	the tvro discussion to the CB'ers and let's get back to producing
> 	some innovations in communication, which we have been known for.
> 	
> 	Send threats, flames, invective, hate mail to me if you must. 
> 

	As the author of the original article that started the discussion
I agree that it has gone past the light into the meaningless heat stage.

	As such this is my last posting on that subject.

	To summarize my original purpose was to remind those out there in
positions where communications security might be a relevant issue that
the explosive growth of TVRO systems has made communications via
satellite and microwave telephone trunk lines and particularly microwave
PRIVATE LINEs very much less private and definately NOT SECURE.  Many of
these communications can be intercepted with very simple equipment widely
available to average (and not even technical) citizens.  This makes those
circuits only slightly more private than the mobile and cellular telephone
channels, a fact only fully grasped by a limited group of security 
experts, and not widely known by the user community (of professional
computer types such as found on usenet who may be responsible for the
secure transmission of confidential information over such lines)

	I do not and did not mean to suggest that it is either interesting,
appropriate, worthwhile, or legal to listen in to
other peoples telephone calls.  It seems very clear that the intent
of several state and federal laws is to forbid such invasions of other's
privacy.

	I chose net.ham-radio as one of the groups
to post the article in because there has been extensive discussion of
listening in to cordless phones in this group, and because many hams
are avid swls and may be interested in a discussion of the technical
and legal sides of communications privacy. 

	I hope that those reading all these words will come away with
a slightly different idea of the security of "phone lines", and be
warned that currently it is not illegal to intercept most kinds
of DATA (which is what many of us computer types deal with on a day to day
basis anyway rather than voice and video).

	In any case let me close with my constant refrain: with millions
of potential receivers, encryption is a better solution than relying
on a law that outlaws a secret act that leaves few traces.  And elimination
of interceptable transmission media is an even better solution.

	Enough said ....

----
David I. Emery
Charles River Data Systems
983 Concord St.
Framingham, MA 01701
Tel: (617) 626-1102
uucp: ...!decvax!frog!die
		
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----
David I. Emery
Charles River Data Systems
983 Concord St.
Framingham, MA 01701
Tel: (617) 626-1102
uucp: ...!decvax!frog!die
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          David I. Emery   Charles River Data Systems
983 Concord St., Framingham, MA 01701 (617) 626-1102 uucp: decvax!frog!die