istvan@hhb.UUCP (Istvan Mohos) (03/28/88)
-- "counterstandard" secret-key encryption algorithm as an alternative to
-- DES? It would have the following properties:
-- 1. Complete public disclosure of all algorithmic details and design
-- principles.
-- 2. A widespread consensus as to the mathematical strength of the algorithm,
-- given point #1 above.
-- 3. A design tailored for efficient software implementation (no "initial
-- permutations" or similar gratuitous garbage meant to sabotage software
-- in favor of custom hardware). Unfortunately, this seems to rule out
-- public-key systems; that's why I said "secret-key" above.
-- 4. A key size sufficient to rule out all brute force attacks, even those
-- by custom hardware.
Last April, I have published the program MIX via comp.sources, a complete
and professional implementation in C and UN*X, of an algorithm eminently
fulfilling your criteria 1, 3, and 4. With respect to point #2, and with
due respect to readers of this news group, crypto experts are snobs when it
comes to non-DES, and any widespread consensus that you are likely to get
on a given non-DES algorithm is that it sucks.
--
Istvan Mohos
{ihnp4,decvax,allegra}!philabs!hhb!istvan
HHB Systems 1000 Wyckoff Ave. Mahwah NJ 07430 201-848-8000
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