Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!mimsy!aplcen!osiris!jdia
From: jdia@osiris.UUCP (Josh Diamond)
Newsgroups: misc.headlines,comp.misc
Subject: Re: Hacker Scholarship
Message-ID: <1198@osiris.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 20-Jun-87 15:29:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: osiris.1198
Posted: Sat Jun 20 15:29:47 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 23-Jun-87 06:36:47 EDT
References: <2757@mtgzz.UUCP> <345@genesis.UUCP> <532@houxa.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Johns Hopkins Hospital
Lines: 29
Keywords: Wozniak, CU, Apple, security
Summary: Why DES is not used...
Xref: mnetor misc.headlines:704 comp.misc:713

In article <532@houxa.UUCP>, mel1@houxa.UUCP (M.HAAS) writes:
...
> The DES algorithm is now quite old, but still not used in computer
> hardware.  Why? 
...
>    Mel Haas  ,  odyssey!mel

According to many, the DES algorithm is not used because the feds designed it 
so that THEY could break it.  The NSA doesn't want any codes being used that
they can't break.  

This is why people who really want to seriously encrypt their messages/data
use RSA public key encryption.  This supposedly beats DES any day. 31 Bit key 
for DES vs. huge (50 deciman digit) prime for RSA.  RSA wins.

BTW, I don't think NSA / DOD / CIA super secret goop is done using DES.


Nonetheless, there is no excuse for not using some standard kind of encryption
for each system, especially sensitive network links.


						Spidey!

-- 
DON'T PANIC!!!                                              \_\ /_/  Yes, it is
                                                             _[*]_   supposed to
A message from Spidey, and the Spidey Team.  ------>>>>     / / \ \  look like a
Reachable via UUCP: ...[seismo,mimsy]!jhu!osiris!jdia                spider!