Re: Crypto for some of the DNS/TM mess

[Michael Froomkin - U.Miami School of Law]

Alas.

On Tue, 2 Mar 1999, Anna Lysyanskaya wrote:

> Dear Mr.Froomkin (and [EMAIL PROTECTED]),
> 
> Ron Rivest, Amit Sahai and I have a scheme that may (or may not) help you. 

my heart leapt....

[...]
> 
> The setting in the physical world:
> ---------------------------------
> 1. There is a trusted center that is able to verify the physical identity
> of whoever approaches it. The first time an individual approaches the
> system, the cost of this might be high (however I don't see how to avoid


My heart sank.  Trouble cases are a very very small fraction of total
registrations.  Everyone seems to agree that a solution that imposes high
front=end cost is a non-starter. 

I might add that in this particular case, if we were willing or able to
qualify the registrant to the central authority, we wouldn't actually need
much crypto.  The problems arise because we are not ale/willing to
pre-qualify registrants....

> this -- otherwise people can give totally bogus contact info!), but any
> subsequent time it can be done automatically (authentication).
> 

Yes, people do give bogus info.  If there was a system in place that made
bogus info impossible, we would not have the situation we have.  But the
commercial interests that sell registrations do not want to be saddled
with the expense of anything up front.

The rest is thus, alas, moot.  

Pity.

> 2. > 
> Hope this helps!
> 
> :)
> 
Sadness.

A. Michael Froomkin   |    Professor of Law    |   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
U. Miami School of Law, P.O. Box 248087, Coral Gables, FL 33124 USA
+1 (305) 284-4285  |  +1 (305) 284-6506 (fax)  |  http://www.law.tm
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