On 30 Jul 96 at 11:13, Bill Frantz wrote: [..]
(1) Now everyone knows that 40 bit RC4 is weak, but just how weak is it?
Differentiate between the cipher and the key-initialization. There may be a flaw in how the key is set up that can make brute-force searches easier. Known plaintext of a few headers may also help in guessing the s-box state, even if partially: combined with flaws in the key, this could be exploited, especially if one has a lot of experience and computing power handy. [..]
(2) What did Microsoft give up to export its crypto API?
Well, if you were a TLA, what would you want. I think I would want an agreement to be able to insert my own code in that vendor's products. Then I would be able to have widely distributed Trojan horses signed by the vendor. I would have the opportunity to significantly weaken standardized crypto systems installed world wide.
Risky. Code can always be reverse engineered. If a flaw is exploited in too-strong an algorithm (3DES and 4k-bit RSA keys, for instance) to prosecute various people, somebody might notice. If US companies seem to magically have proprietary info from foreign companies, this would also be a sign of suspicion. I think the C[r]API will be used as a form of mandating GAK instead. Rob
Conspiracy theorists, start your mailers.
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