In general you are right. The more encrypted traffic you have the harder it is for an intruder to find the packet which has to be decrypted. But Carnivore spoils exactly this. In an encrypted email the header is _not_ encrypted. Carnivore stores all mails coming from of going to a certain person.
This enables the FBI to check with whom someone is talking.
This small amount of encrypted stuff can be decrypted more easily.
Therefore I assume Carnivore is disinged to avoid the "lost in to much encrypted material" situation.
One way to exchange mail which is not read by Carnivore is: Both parties have an email account on the same free mail server in a country which does not allow programs like Carnivore. If this server allows web access with SSL only the people at the mail server company can read the mail (is its body is not encrypted).
Slashdot Mirror
In general you are right. The more encrypted traffic you have the harder it is for an intruder to find the packet which has to be decrypted. But Carnivore spoils exactly this. In an encrypted email the header is _not_ encrypted. Carnivore stores all mails coming from of going to a certain person.
This enables the FBI to check with whom someone is talking.
This small amount of encrypted stuff can be decrypted more easily.
Therefore I assume Carnivore is disinged to avoid the "lost in to much encrypted material" situation.
One way to exchange mail which is not read by Carnivore is: Both parties have an email account on the same free mail server in a country which does not allow programs like Carnivore. If this server allows web access with SSL only the people at the mail server company can read the mail (is its body is not encrypted).