Subject: [Raven] RE: Carter Bullard's Conclusions: a few comments

From: "Carter Bullard" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1999 07:11:00 -0800

Hey Richard,
   I was hoping that my last e-mail was my last, but I intend
this to really be my last (applause from the audience ;o), so
lets talk about these things in D.C.

> > In addition, it should not be possible for the issues of 
> > wiretapping, or law enforcement activities
> > in general, to be used to limit the activity of any WG in the IETF.
> 
> Although this may well be Carter's opinion, the proposition 
> that any WG
> should be free to undercut any other is pretty dubious. I 
> believe that's why
> the IESG started this list, since wiretapping support has the 
> potential to
> undermine security and privacy ostensibly provided by other 
> protocols.

The RMON MIB WG and the IPPM WGs, which exist today and do
excellent work, are both working directly on aspects of
packet capture technology that would be used to perform
lawful intercept.  As an example, wireline timestamping of
captured packets is integral to the IPPM Framework, but
also a requirement of lawful intercept to support law
enforcement.  And hopefully, RMON's contribution to this
task is pretty clear to everyone.

No, these WG's have no reason to believe that they are
working on the standardization of wiretapping technology,
or that they are perilously impacting individual privacy,
but some would conclude that they are.

Are these WGs currently undermining the security and
privacy ostensibly provided by other IETF protocols?  I hope
that Scott Bradner and Vern Paxson would say no, and I hope
that the IESG would say no as well.

My point was/is that there is potential for an Internet Spanish
Inquisition, or a Privacy Crusades, if you will, to emerge that
would inevitably attempt to squash the development of any
technology that would be deemed evil.  All in the name of
Privacy Protection.  This would be a bad thing.

Have no doubt that I will openly affirm my faith in the
Church of the IP.  But IETF technology is far from being
free of the sin of privacy invasion.  The body has a lot of
repenting, and reform ahead before it can start its holy task
of burning evil at the IP stake.  ( a little Hallow's Day humor,
if I may )

I do hope the list has found this useful.

Carter