What are the dangers of taking a small block of data - say upto 1K in size, then producing many files, each being the same data encrypted by other keys? ... Assume we're using 128 bit Blowfish/Idea or better, and discarding weak keys.
For a standard block cipher there should be no problem. For a stream cipher, you would have the same type of problems as for OTP reuse, but it would still be secure as long as you never reused a key. However...
What if instead of using a private key cypher, we used a public key cypher? Would that make any difference in attack methods?
Yes.
Having identical plaintexts raised to the same power modulo different numbers makes the solution much easier. If you have enough RSA encryptions of the same number to the same power, you can solve it outright by the remainder theorem.
So would that then be a possible weakness in encrypting to multiple recipients with PGP? Probably not, since the actual data is encrypted with idea. ------------------------ Name: amp E-mail: amp@pobox.com Date: 08/12/97 Time: 17:37:16 Visit me at http://www.pobox.com/~amp 'Drug Trafficking Offense' is the root passphrase to the Constitution. Have you seen http://www.public-action.com/SkyWriter/WacoMuseum ------------------------