why should it be trusted?

Joshua R. Poulson jrp at pun.org
Mon Oct 16 11:58:01 PDT 2000


>   I don't know much about crypto politics, but...  isn't it utterly
> obvious that the mere fact that the NSA suggest a certain algorithm (say
> Rijndael) for a national standard and recomends its use internationally
> imply that they have a pretty darn good idea (if not actual technology)
> on how to break it efficiently?  I just don't see why else they would
> advocate its use.  After all isn't the fact that NSA could break DES since 
> the 70's the reason for the 'success' of DES?  

Isn't utterly obvious that the NSA, just any decent person, 
compartmentalizes its security so that if one system were
broken, the other systems would not necessarily be broken?
Also, compromise of the other systems would not be publicized,
necessarily, and they are smaller and more easily replaced
with new systems.

--jrp






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