re: Security problems

A. Padgett Peterson P.E. Information Security (PADGETT@hobbes.orl.mmc.com)
Mon, 4 Mar 1996 18:44:25 -0500 (EST) 

>Thus, it is almost always possible to distinguish text from ciphertext

Only if nothing has been done to it. I postulate that anything can be made
appear like anything else if you really want to (and know the characteristics
of what you want it to imitate).

Do not really think this is leading anywhere. A standard is needed for
mailers which have not been preconfigured out-of-channel to have some
idea of what they are receiving and what to do with it. If you want
to "fix" it so that a different response is made, you can. 

Maybe the standard needs an equivalent of RFC 1597/1918 - a code for
"non-standard messaging".
						Warmly,
							Padgett