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From: matt@ra.oc.com (Matthew Lyle)
Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Subject: Re: Clipper Chip: Reverse Engineering
Message-ID: <1993Apr29.152828.8494@ra.oc.com>
Date: 29 Apr 93 15:28:28 GMT
References: <C64Mzt.FA5@plato.ds.boeing.com>
Organization: OpenConnect Systems, Dallas, TX
Lines: 31

maa@plato.ds.boeing.com (Mark A Allyn) writes:
>You all mention that the algorithm is classified and have expressed 
>concerns and ideas of how to figure out the algorithm using software.
>
>The question that I have is why cant someone take one of these chips
>and reverse engineer it? I mean, take the thing to a chip testing/
>analysis facility, one with a decent electron microscope. Just pry
>off the top of the chip and start scanning it with the electron
>microcope and figure out the circuitry. I remembered a place that I use
>to work for had one of these facilities that they used to analyze chips
>that we accidently blew out while running tests. They could actually find
>the area that was fried and show us where in the circuit it was. 
>
>I am sure that many companies and universities must have these facilities
>and that the potential is there, especially at a university where the
>security at such a facility is looser, for someone to take a clipper
>apart and analyze it?
>
>What can the government do to prevent this? Start taking away all 
>microchip analysis facilities and electron microscopes??


They are using some technology developed by VLSI systems, the other manufacturer of
the Clipper Chips, that produces chips that are supposed to be highly resistant to
reverse engineering.

-- 

Matthew Lyle                                           matt@oc.com
                                                       matt@utdallas.bitnet
OpenConnect System, Dallas, Texas                      (214) 888-0474
