The prediction, in brief:

I would actually like to see good encryption packaged as an option with, say, all e-mail systems, and have the user have the option to use it or not, just by selecting an option … Nothing is ever secure. Encryption is one of a number of things one can do to improve the security of communications.

Predictor: Hoffman, Lance

Prediction, in context:

Lance Hoffman, a computer security expert, visited in a real-time chat on HotWired March 28, 1995, while at the annual Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference. At the time, he was also in the midst of a publicity tour for his book “Building in Big Brother.” Hoffman says:”I would actually like to see good encryption packaged as an option with, say, all e-mail systems, and have the user have the option to use it or not, just by selecting an option … Nothing is ever secure. Encryption is one of a number of things one can do to improve the security of communications … Encryption is an important technique which will be necessary, just as we have discovered sealed envelopes are often (usually) necessary.

Biography:

Lance Hoffman, a professor at George Washington University, was a security expert and the author of the 1994 National Science Foundation paper “Civilizing Cyberspace: Priority Policy Issues in a National Information Infrastructure” in addition to many other research pieces in the 1990s. He wrote the book “Rogue Programs: Viruses, Worms and Trojan Horses” (Van Nostrand Rheinhold, 1990). (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)

Date of prediction: March 28, 1995

Topic of prediction: Communication

Subtopic: Security/Encryption

Name of publication: Hot Wired

Title, headline, chapter name: None

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://hotwired.lycos.com/talk/club/special/transcripts/95-03-28.hoffman.html

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney