[cap-talk] Can webkeys solve the MySpace problem?

[Karp, Alan H]

Richard Uhtenwoldt wrote:
>
> For example, if instead of the adult giving the key to the child, the
> adult  somehow "attaches" the key to an internet client (i.e. a home
> computer) in much the same way that a browser cookie becomes attached
> to a particular internet client, then grants the child access to (use
> of) the internet client, then it become much harder for the dirty old
> man to bribe the child into letting the dirty old man into the
> "perimeter".
>
I was thinking that the webkey was use-once, enabling the child to set up an account.  If MySpace found out a child's account was being used by an adult, it would disable the account until the child presented a new use-once webkey.  If a school's webkey was found to be compromised, then all accounts based on that webkey would have to be recertified.
>
> The salient question in my mind is, since there is great political and
> "moral" will to solve the MySpace problem, how might the solution to
> the problem be chosen so as to solve or contribute to the solution of
> _other_ pressing social and political problems the solutions for which
> there is less political and moral will.
>
The idea is to implement a reusable approach where there is great interest in the hopes that others will use that approach because it's an easy way to avoid bad press.

________________________
Alan Karp
Principal Scientist
Virus Safe Computing Initiative
Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
1501 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 857-3967, fax (650) 857-7029
http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Alan_Karp