( cryptography@c2.net removed from the distribution list, as I am not a subscriber to that list, and Perry has admonished me when I have accidentally left his list on the cc: to my messages) Reuter (Washington, Friday), Security experts reported today that the nation's encryption standard, "DES," has been proved to be secure. "It took more than 1000 computers working for 3 months before a single "toy example" was finally found, " reported Murray Bowdark, Director of the Computer Security Association, Ft. Meade, Maryland. "This shows that even a concerted effort by thousands of hackers will take months," said Bowdark. "And since hacking like this is outlawed by new legislation just passed by Congress, this makes "cracking DES" about as improbable as proving that the CIA imported drugs." (OK, I confess. Not a real press release. But, as ET notes below in his article, the spin doctors are already drawing the conclusion that many of us expected they would draw: by using the crack to prove that this means DES is resistant against thousands of computers running for months. And to tell the truth, were I less aware of some of the issues surrounding hardware-based DES-crackers, I admit that this report would tend to leave me with this impression. I can imagine most of our parents would look up from the CNN report on this and say, if they said anything, "OK, so my bank account is pretty secure.") At 5:05 PM -0700 6/20/97, ET wrote:
I caught the Headline News mention of the DES crack and it unfortunately put the wrong spin on things.
I can't remember it word for word, but it went like this: "If you're going to decrypt financial transactions you'd better be prepared to get 1000 computers and spend 3 months on the project."
The report was delivered with a hint of a smile, as if to suggest that the time and resources might have been better spent.
*Sigh*
There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws. Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!" ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1398269 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."