Encryption: Responsibility and War

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EncryptionResponsibility and War

• ENGR 19/301 Winter 2004
• Eric Chang, Leo Pinard, Garrett Yoshimoto

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Agenda

• POP QUIZ!
• Encryption Introduction and History
• Case Study Pearl Harbor Dec 7, 1941
• Issues / Questions
• Stakeholders
• Actions
• Ethical Analysis
• Conclusion

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POP-QUIZ!

• HAL
• Ivinay Ividay Ivicay
• 67 111 100 101 32 105 115 32 70 117 110 33
• IBM
• Vini, vidi, vici
• Code is Fun!

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Definition

• Encrypt - to convert (as information) from one
  system of communication into another especially
  to convert (a message) into code
• Cryptography - the enciphering and deciphering of
  messages in secret code or cipher

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Classic Encryption

• Caesar Substitution
• Pig Latin
• ASCII
• Translation Table

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Key Encryption

• A string of bits used to encrypt and decrypt data
  
• 2 Types
• Symmetric
• Asymmetric
• Encryption - Public Key
• Decryption - Private Key
• Security is in the key, not the algorithm

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History of Keys

• In the late 1960s, IBM developed a private key
  encryption system called Lucifer
• 1973, National Bureau of Standards sent a request
  for proposals in the Federal Registrar
• Little public expertise, so NSA submitted
  weakened version of Lucifer, which became the
  U.S. DES (Data Encryption Standard)

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Usage Today on the Internet

• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol
• Privacy through encryption
• Integrity
• Authentification through digital certificates
• Secure Electronic Transaction protocol
• Digital Certificates
• Cuts down on fraud
• Encrypts credit card information before sending

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Problems

• U.S. Government doesnt want other countries to
  use complicated encryptions
• Commercial products have to use weak 40-bit keys
• Keys can be decrypted
• Brute force

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Decryption

• Probable Word
• Special Characters
• Event-triggered messages
• Poor Choice of Passwords
• Physical Copy of Crypt Documents
• Captured Cryptography Device
• Human Operator Errors

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Case Study Pearl Harbor

• Tactical Situation Axis, Allies
• Berlin Pact signed in 1940, forming the Axis
  powers of Germany, Japan, Italy
• Most of Europe had already fallen to Axis powers
• UK and Russia attacked by Germany and Italy
• USA War Status
• Remained separate, despite attacks on shipping,
  and Axis aggression in SE Asia, Europe and
  N.Atlantic
• Added defenses at Midway, Philippines, Wake
  Island
• Negotiating with Japanese diplomats in Wash D.C.

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Military Forces at Pearl Harbor

• US Forces
• Main Pacific fleet (CINCPACFLT) gt90 ships, minus
  carriers Enterprise, Lexington, Saratoga
• Army Air Force of P-39s and P-40s
• Japanese Forces
• Bulk of Main Pacific fleet 250 miles north of
  Hawaii with 6 carrier groups Hiryu, Soryu, Kaga,
  Akagi, Zuikaku, Shokaku
• gt350 warplanes Zeros, Vals, and Kates

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Technology Battle

• Attempts to decipher Japanese encryption
• Only diplomatic cipher was broken (Purple)
• Naval codes partially broken in 1941, fully in
  1942 (Midway)
• Secrets Revealed via Decryption
• Jan 27, 1941 US envoy Joseph Grew transmits
  message Japanese military forces planned to
  attempt a surprise mass attack on Pearl Harbor.
  US intelligence dismisses the report
• July 1941 US intelligence had general info of
  formation of Task Forces and hostile actions.
  Never sent to Hawaii
• Late 1941 US Pacific radio stations tracked
  Japanese naval movements. In December, all naval
  transmissions ceased
• Nov 27, 1941 General warning of war sent to
  all Pacific forces
• Rumors that diplomatic messages called for
  ceasing of negotiations, war imminent sent, but
  received late

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Sequence of Events

• Dec 7, 1941 Japanese carrier-based planes flew
  into Oahu and attacked Pearl Harbor 755am
• Dec 8, 1941 FDR delivers famous day that will
  live in infamy speech. USA declares war on Japan
  only
• Jan 24, 1942 Special presidential commission
  accuses military commanders of dereliction of
  duty
• Sep 1945 Court-martial charges dropped, but both
  War and Navy Departments were censured
• Pearl Harbor now a historical landmark, with a
  memorial over the sunken USS Arizona

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Pearl Harbor Final Statistics

• US
• 21 US vessels were sunk or damaged (8
  battleships)
• 347 US aircraft damaged or destroyed
• 2,280 US military dead
• 1,109 US military wounded
• 68 civilians dead, 69 wounded
• Japan
• 29 Japanese aircraft destroyed
• 55 Japanese pilots dead
• 5 midget submarines
• 9 dead, 1 POW

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Issues / Questions

• Were US military forces not properly prepared for
  a possible attack at Pearl?
• Had the attack been detected?
• Did the government predict this?
• Did the government know when?
• Did the government want a crisis in order to
  galvanize the country to declare war?
• Did the defeat at Pearl Harbor cost too much?
• Was the element of surprise necessary?

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Stakeholders

• US military forces at Pearl Harbor
• Japanese attack forces
• US military forces stationed else where
• Japanese military forces in the Pacific Rim
• Governments (US and Japan)
• Civilians (warzone, home, overseas)
• Allied powers
• Axis powers
• Future generations

EVERYONE!
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Actions

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack at Pearl Harbor as soon as
  attack plans were known

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Ethical Analysis

• Utilitarianism
• Rights
• Virtue
• Common Good
• Kantian
• Fairness/Justice
• Compassion

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Utilitarianism

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack at Pearl Harbor as soon as
  attack plans were known
• Choose the ethical action that provides the
  greatest balance of benefits over harm
• Short Term Save the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl
  Harbor. Save the lives of 2280 U.S. Military.
• Long Term The Japanese would change their codes
  immediately.
• The U.S. Victory during the Battle of Midway in
  June 1942 relied heavily on U.S. cryptographers.
• Defining moment in the Pacific War.
• Contradicting Opinion Cannot foresee future!

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Rights

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack at Pearl Harbor as soon as
  attack plans were known
• Choose the ethical action which best protects and
  respects the moral rights of those affected
• Basic Question Is war right?
• Protects the moral right to life of the U.S.
  Military
• Ethical

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Virtue

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack at Pearl Harbor as soon as
  attack plans were known
• Choose the ethical action that develops moral
  virtues in yourself and your community
• Again, protect the U.S. Military
• Ethical

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Common Good

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack at Pearl Harbor as soon as
  attack plans were known
• Choose the ethical action that serves the common
  good of the community
• Warning Pearl Harbor would have protected not
  only the military, but also the surrounding
  community.
• Many civilians work on Military Bases
• Ethical

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Kantian

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack at Pearl Harbor as soon as
  attack plans were known
• Choose the ethical action that you would want to
  become a universal maxim
• It is always ethical to save the lives of those
  involved.
• However, the outcome of saving those lives could
  lead to the deaths of many more in the future.
• Only a possibility, but is it worth the risk?
• Not warning Pearl Harbor would be using people as
  a means to an end
• Ethical

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Fairness/Justice

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack at Pearl Harbor as soon as
  attack plans were known
• Choose the ethical action in which all
  individuals and parties are consistently treated
  equal
• Ethical action cant be judged.
• When is war fair or just for either side/party
  involved?
• No Ethical Conclusion

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Compassion

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack at Pearl Harbor as soon as
  attack plans were known
• Choose the ethical action that serves the
  interests of others and strengthens
  relationships. Avoid wronging others
• The U.S. people came together after Pearl Harbor
  heavily strengthened U.S. relationships.
• Look to 9/11 and the following outburst of U.S.
  pride and unity
• Non-Ethical Served the government interest
  (FDR)
• Ethical But may not serve the interest of
  isolationist sentiment, prevalent at the time
• Contradicting Opinion

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Conclusion

• The US military and government should have
  prepared for an attack as soon as impending
  attack plans were known
• Answer Ethical!
• Rationale
• Yes 4 (Rights, Good, Virtue, Kantian)
• No 0
• Even 3 (Utilitarian, Fairness, Compassion)

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References

• http//plasma.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/n
  gbeyond/stories/index.html
• http//www.historychannel.com/perl/print_book.pl?I
  D106189
• http//www.time.com/time/sampler/article/0,8599,12
  8065,00.html
• http//www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq66-1.htm
• http//www.history.navy.mil/books/comint/index.htm
  l
• http//www.m-w.com/
• http//www.thinkquest.org/