franka@mmintl.UUCP (02/05/87)
In article <12414@sun.uucp> falk@sun.UUCP (Ed Falk) writes: >In article <9112@duke.duke.UUCP> srt@duke.UUCP (Stephen R. Tate) writes: >>Now here's an interesting point. The exact same amount of information has to >>be transmitted as "key" information as will be transmitted as data. ... So >>what is the point of encryption at all in this case? > >That's the main problem with one time pads. Their only real use is that >you can use a slow courier ahead of time, and then use an insecure but >fast channel (such as radio) at a later time. A theoretical case where they would also be useful would be where you have a secure channel from point A to point B, but no secure channel from point B to point A. Then you send the key information by the secure channel, and use it for transmissions back to point A. I can't think of any actual instances where this would apply, though. Frank Adams ihnp4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka Ashton-Tate 52 Oakland Ave North E. Hartford, CT 06108