IBM Cries Crypto Wolf, Experts Say

[Jim Choate]

A non-linearity in the crypto community?

On Thu, 30 Nov 2000, No User wrote:

> Big Blue says it can make encryption twice as fast.

> However, several crypto experts questioned the need for the technology and 
> said it can't be taken seriously until it's been widely analyzed and
> tested.
> 
> "There is no market demand for this algorithm," said Bruce Schneier, author 
> of several cryptography and security books and chief technology officer
> of Counterpane Internet Security, a network monitoring outsourcer.

> Tim Dierks, CTO of Certicom, concurred with Schneier and added ...

> "IBM's got a track record of coming out with these major crypto 
> announcements around early stage results" that haven't been evaluated
> and tested, said Dierks of Certicom. "They're seen as self promoting."
>  An IBM algorithm dubbed the "Atjai-Dwork cryptosystem" was announced in
> 1997 and broken the following year, he said.

> Burt Kaliski, chief scientist and director of RSA's Labs, came to IBM's 
> defense.

> "Here, they seem to be on more solid ground in terms of the technology 
> they're proposing," Kaliski added. "It still needs some more analysis by
> the crypto community." 

Who clearly don't want to do it...

I'd say there is a crisis of faith in the community (it's really the
pocket book but that isn't as poetic).

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