skipjack

n 1: oceanic schooling tuna of considerable value in Pacific but

less in Atlantic; reaches 75 pounds; very similar to if

not the same as oceanic bonito [syn: {skipjack tuna}, {Euthynnus

pelamis}]

2: medium-sized tuna-like food fish of warm Atlantic and

Pacific waters; less valued than tuna [syn: {Atlantic

bonito}, {Sarda sarda}]

3: able to right itself when on its back by flipping into the

air with a clicking sound [syn: {click beetle}, {snapping

beetle}]

SkipJack

An {encryption} {algorithm} created by the NSA

(National Security Agency) which encrypts 64-bit blocks of

data with an 80-bit key. It is used in the {Clipper} chip, a

{VLSI} device with an {ARM} processor core, which is intended

to perform cryptographic operations while allowing the

security agencies listen in.

There are (apparently) two agencies, both of whom have to

agree that there is a valid reason to decode a message. Don't

laugh, they are serious.

[Algorithm?]

(1995-12-07)