Encryption is the process of transforming plaintext using a cipher to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing the key.
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231 views
Is it safe to encrypt a public key alongside a message with AES?
If I have a message M and a public key P, and I encrypt them alongside one another:
CIPHER = AES(M + P, aes_key)
Is CIPHER now weakened if someone knows what P ...
3
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1answer
81 views
implementing long term archive encryption
Let's say I want to create private archives for the long term (e.g. more than 30 ). The archives' sizes could be anywhere from 1 GB to 30 GB. As far as I understand I could go down two ways:
The ...
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2answers
113 views
CPA Secure Chosen plaintext scheme
The example for IND-CPA secure schemes given is generally:
for a random r,
Enc_k(m) =(r|| E_k(r) XOR m) where E is a PRF
But does the role of r and k really matter--i.e. isn't this equally ...
3
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1answer
256 views
Is this a good way to encrypt a file?
I need to encrypt a file, distribute it over an insecure channel, and decrypt it later. Using a symmetric-key algorithm. Here's what I intend to do:
Get a password P from the user. Generate a 16-byte ...
3
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1answer
178 views
How can one share information using the 'host-proof' paradigm?
I am attempting to make a web-based secure password management and sharing utility, both as an academic exercise and to fully understand and feel safe about using it.
I really like the idea of a ...
3
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1answer
137 views
Secure encrypt-then-sign with RSA
I understand that when you want to encrypt and sign data with RSA the generally recommended approach is sign-then-encrypt.
However, I have encrypted data that I need to sign, to prove the author of ...
3
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1answer
148 views
Is there a field guide to ECC for the IT Security layman?
I'm trying to understand ECC from an IT layman's perspective and am trying to separate the theory from the standards, and understand why certain features are implemented or not implemented in the ...
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2answers
111 views
Distinguish messages
Since i cannot comment on questions, I give my own:
If a secret key encrypt algorithm can encrypt messages of arbitrary length and the encrypt algorithm is probabilistic then: suppose the adversary ...
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1answer
124 views
Safely use CryptSignAndEncryptMessage?
I am developing an application that sends messages which I want to encrypt and sign. The CryptoApi offers a function called CryptSignAndEncryptMessage.
The description says, what this function ...
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3answers
452 views
How will Cryptography be changed by Quantum Computing?
I realise this isn't a 'yes or no' question, and I apologise for asking something that could be seen as a discussion thread, but I had to ask.
I'm currently doing an EPQ in CS (specifically how QC ...
2
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4answers
236 views
What is the actual difference between security through obscurity and true encryption?
In an abstract sense, aren't both the same?
Don't their definitions boil down to the following?
security through obscurity:
trying to make sure some information cannot be obtained without knowing ...
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votes
2answers
701 views
How can I do a brute force (ciphertext only) attack on an CBC-encrypted message?
Given a CBC ciphertext and IV, how can I find the encryption key?
We are limited with an 8 chars key, each char in the range of [a..h], so I can generate every possible key (these are only $8^8 = ...
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2answers
596 views
How can I break REDSHIRT / REDSHIRT2 encryption?
Recently, a user on Gaming.SE asked a question about whether the user password in the video game Uplink could be modified after being initially set. The game does not contain an option to change the ...
2
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2answers
101 views
Keys required for cryptography
I am reading an article on cryptography at following location:
http://www.entrust.com/resources/pdf/cryptointro.pdf
Historically, encryption systems used what is known as symmetric cryptography. ...
2
votes
2answers
295 views
Constructing a block-cipher from a hash function
It is possible to use a hash function to construct a block cipher with a structure similar to DES? Because a hash function is one way and a block cipher must be reversible (to decrypt), how is it ...
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5answers
296 views
How to encrypt a short string and keep the length secret
I need to encrypt relatively short strings (generally less than 100 characters). If possible, I want to avoid leaking the length of these strings. How can I do that?
The thing that came to my mind is ...
2
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1answer
547 views
What is the difference between these AES encryption methods
I am using AES encryption (Rijindael) with Base-64 encoding in Obj-C and VB. I am currently using the following two projects to achieve this:
Obj-C: ...
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3answers
277 views
Can I pre-define the points in Shamir's Secret Sharing algorithm
With Shamir's secret sharing is it possible to pre-define the points returned by the algorithm?
For simplicity if I have (k, n) where k=2, and n=4, and I have the points X,Y,Z, and Q. Can I create ...
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3answers
328 views
Trying to find a different DES encryption system explanation
I need a mathematical explanation of what does the DES encryption system really do.
This means I need more explanation than the one that offers FIPS, which is more an explanation for computer ...
2
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2answers
153 views
Getting the encryption method and key from the encrypted data and the raw data
I have some pairs of plaintext and ciphertext data, from which I need to be able to decrypt the other passwords stored in the database.
The password field typically contains something like
...
2
votes
1answer
255 views
What happens if an RSA key pair has identical public and private exponents?
Rather, is it possible for big prime numbers?
Classroom examples usually involve smaller primes, so for example if you are given a prime number pair $p = 3$, $q = 13$ you would get $n = 39$ and $e = ...
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votes
2answers
253 views
Simple xor cipher extension
Probably the simplest cipher is the xor cipher with a single integer. One can extend this to use more than one integer by several means. I'm wondering if there is any benefit to doing more than this:
...
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1answer
605 views
Sending KCV (key check value) with cipher text
I was wondering why it is not more common to send the KCV of a secret key together with the cipher text. I see many systems that send cipher text and properly prepend the IV to e.g. a CBC mode ...
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2answers
187 views
How can I encrypt more than 64 bit with the Data Encryption Standard?
The Data Encryption Algorithm is designed to encipher and decipher blocks of data consisting of 64 bits under control of a 56-bit key.
If my data is more than 64 bits, (suppose 66 or 67 bits), will ...
2
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1answer
184 views
Low Public Exponent Attack for RSA
I'm having trouble understanding the algorithm for finding the original message $m$, when there is a small public exponent. Here is the example I'm trying to follow (you can also read it in the 'Low ...
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1answer
202 views
XOR cipher for encrypting compiled C code
I'm exploring ways of encrypting Intel hex files we send to customers for flashing onto an embedded device. The embedded processor itself has a built-in mechanism that prevents anyone from reading the ...
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2answers
170 views
Why does the recommended key size between symmetric and assymetric encryption differ greatly?
In various articles it is mentioned that for secure communications, the recommended key sizes are 128-bit key size for symmetric encryption (which makes it $2^{128}$ possible keys?) and 2048-bit key ...
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2answers
280 views
Why is a non fixed-length encryption scheme worse than a fixed-length one?
I have the following definition (highlights by me):
An (efficient secret-key) encryption scheme $(Gen,Enc,Dec)$, where $Gen$ and $Enc$ are PPT algorithms and $Dec$ is a Deterministic Polytime ...
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2answers
189 views
Is RSA in a ECB-like-mode safe for bulk encryption?
Let's say I would like to communicate with my friend using asymmetric/public-key encryption, e.g. RSA.
(Note: I do realize that in practice this is done through an intermediate symmetric key, but ...
2
votes
2answers
183 views
How can encryption involve randomness?
If an encryption algorithm is meant to convert a string to another string which can then be decrypted back to the original, how could this process involve any randomness?
Surely it has to be ...
2
votes
1answer
426 views
How to sign a message using RSA?
Assuming I already have a D, P, Q, etc of an RSA key: How do I now sign a message? If it matters – the message is around 100 bits.
I don't know much about cryptography, but I can get these numbers ...
2
votes
2answers
245 views
Are there public slow-but-strong algorithms out there that resist brute-force attacks better?
I'm reading that AES uses 4x4 bytes (4*4*8 = 256 bits key) matrix for performances matters (since it's a requirement for common standard encryption algorithms), but are there implementations with ...
2
votes
1answer
153 views
What is the strength of unpadded RSA?
I would like to use unpadded RSA for homomorphic encryption in a toy P2P game, for things like fair coin flips and shuffling.
How many bits of security does unpadded RSA have, in relation to its key ...
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votes
1answer
109 views
Aes encryption -The relevance of static matrix in mixcolumns operation
Can someone explain to me the relevance of the static matrix used for the mixcolumns operation in aes encryption.i.e the relevance of why the byte is multiplied by 2 + next byte multiplied by 3 + next ...
2
votes
1answer
903 views
Secure way to transfer data over NFC?
I am currently writing a payment system to accept payment details from an NFC enabled smartphone (BlackBerry 9900) to a Windows client (C#.NET)
I am currently having two issues relating to security:
...
2
votes
2answers
792 views
How to distribute session keys in public key cryptography?
In public key cryptography we can also use session keys which are symmetric. How do the sender (say a server) provides this session key information to its clients?
If the sender (here server) ...
2
votes
1answer
196 views
Is the logic for how the enigma machine worked documented somewhere?
I know that there is a formula to calculate the result of any input but is the logic of how the machine actually worked documented?
I have seen schematics for the circuitry and even a how to make ...
2
votes
1answer
53 views
Why constrain the message lengths in indistinguishability in the presence of an eavesdropper?
I need your help with a very basic concept in cryptography which I can't understand/prove on my own.
I'm trying to prove and understand why, under "indistinguishability in the presence
of an ...
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1answer
104 views
Cracking an RSA with no padding and very small e
I have a project wherein i have to crack a given cipher text encrypted using RSA and have been given N and e. Can someone suggest an RSA attack using a very small exponent e(here e=3) and no padding?
2
votes
1answer
90 views
Hashing a password with the password?
I was wondering if hashing a password with the password would be a good way of encrypting the password. So, the user must know his/her password to get the same result as the one in the database. Also, ...
2
votes
1answer
183 views
Proving that a scheme is not IND-CPA-secure
Suppose I want to prove that a given symmetric encryption scheme is not IND-CPA secure. The first thing I do is to define a specific adversary that attacks the scheme. How can I proof neatly, (using ...
2
votes
1answer
260 views
How does Output Feedback mode use the initialization vector?
How can I process Initialization Vector inside the Block Cipher Encryption box (using for example AES) together with the Key?
Will I encrypt the Initialization Vector like a block of plaintext?
So ...
2
votes
1answer
115 views
How to compute the dot product on encrypted values?
Is there a practical homomorphic encryption scheme that can give reasonable execution time results in computing a dot product:
$$a_1*b_1 + a_2*b_2 +a_3*b_3 +\ldots+ a_n*b_n$$
I imagine the scheme will ...
2
votes
1answer
142 views
Visualization of cryptography
I think CrypTool is great software. And what I find most useful in it is visualization of algorithms such as Caesar, Vigenere, AES, DES. And my question is: does anyone know other tools which are ...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
What does a “cycle” mean in cryptography benchmarks?
In this table, for example, cryptographic algorithm performance is measured in cycles per byte for symmetric ciphers, and in cycles per operation for asymmetric ciphers.
What does "cycle" here mean, ...
2
votes
2answers
117 views
Information leakage in real-time voice encryption
I saw some time ago a post discussing the issues surrounding encryption of speech/voice in VoIP and how it can leak information (can't find it now). Can someone provide an insight into some of the ...
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1answer
1k views
Difference between stream cipher and block cipher
A typical stream cipher encrypts plaintext one byte at a time, although a stream cipher may be designed to operate on one bit at a time or on units larger than a byte at a time.
A block cipher ...
2
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1answer
380 views
Advantage of AES(Rijndael) over Twofish and Serpent
I'm trying to figure out a suitable encryption technique and after reading a bit, I figured the current AES 128-bit encryption is suitable for what I'm trying to do. However, this is more due to the ...
2
votes
1answer
343 views
Why, or when, to use an Initialization Vector?
i'm trying to figure out when an Intialization Vector (IV) should be used.
There are anecdotal reports that WEP was broken because of weak IV's. It's also claimed that if two pieces of plaintext are ...
2
votes
1answer
129 views
Transparent cipher
I'm trying to implement this protocol:
Alice has her permanent key $K_1$. She computes $E(K_1, P)$.
She wants to share $P$ with Bob, Carol and Dave. For each of them she:
2.1. Generates $K_2$.
...
