Clipper

[Matthew J Ghio]

Eli Brandt <ebrandt at jarthur.claremont.edu> wrote:
> Of course they aren't using Clipper, at least not for anything
> sensitive.  They know better than that.  Clipper is not a secure
> system.  Skipjack may be wonderful, but the whole setup
> totally lacks key security.  Given their institutional paranoia,
> they wouldn't touch Clipper with a 1024-bit prime.

Skipjack might have a decent design, but considering that it uses 10
byte keys, it will probably be feasible to mount a brute-force attack on
it within a decade or so.  (As is currently possible with DES 7-byte
keys.)