The prediction, in brief:

Hopefully within one year, definitely within three, no users (or program) should ever have to send passwords over the Internet in sniffable cleartext … We should be able to make financial commitments safely and securely – the ability to insert our credit card numbers securely within encrypted e-mail and to authenticate remote service use and product purchases charged to our accounts

Predictor: Dern, Daniel

Prediction, in context:

In a 1994 article, Network Computing writer, Daniel Dern reports on how the Internet could transform business. He writes:”Hopefully within one year, definitely within three, no users (or program) should ever have to send passwords over the Internet in sniffable cleartext. We have products to do this for real-time activities – multivendor Kerberos, handheld passcode cards such as SecureID, nonreusable password software, such as the BellCore-developed S/Key. Similarly, we should be able to make financial commitments safely and securely – the ability to insert our credit card numbers securely within encrypted e-mail and to authenticate remote service use and product purchases charged to our accounts.”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1994

Topic of prediction: Communication

Subtopic: Security/Encryption

Name of publication: Network Computing

Title, headline, chapter name: The Internet, Your Company and You

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 50

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne