Path: utzoo!yunexus!geac!daveb
From: daveb@geac.UUCP (David Collier-Brown)
Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Subject: Re: Request for opinions: canadian cryptographic standard.
Keywords: des canada nsa us
Message-ID: <2489@geac.UUCP>
Date: 24 Mar 88 18:29:19 GMT
Article-I.D.: geac.2489
Posted: Thu Mar 24 13:29:19 1988
References: <2463@geac.UUCP> <17654@watmath.waterloo.edu> <2475@geac.UUCP> <2414@unicus.UUCP>
Reply-To: daveb@geac.UUCP (David Collier-Brown)
Organization: /usr/lib/news/organisation
Lines: 23

In article <2414@unicus.UUCP> rae@Unicus.COM (Reid Ellis) writes:
| Given that we are not going to keep the algorithm secret, could we just
| tweak an existing standard [DES?] such that it renders existing hardware
| solutions for that standard incompatible with our spiffy Canadian
| version?  And if we do this, is the demand for Canadian secrets [how
| much money does Wayne Gretzky make?] so low that no-one will bother to
| design and implement hardware to crack such a 'tweaked' version?

  An existing standard, probably.  DES? probably not, as it's
behavior is not fully known.  There is some reason to believe it is
not as secure as intended, and speculation about a trap-door
continues.


  There is also a canadian-made encryption chip in test, with
decent throughput:  further information expected next week.

--dave
-- 
 David Collier-Brown.                 {mnetor yunexus utgpu}!geac!daveb
 Geac Computers International Inc.,   |  Computer Science loses its
 350 Steelcase Road,Markham, Ontario, |  memory (if not its mind) 
 CANADA, L3R 1B3 (416) 475-0525 x3279 |  every 6 months.