# All Questions

247 views

### data structure of random / compressed data

can anybody explain to me what data structure results after data is compressed? I just try to find out the difference between random data and compressed data, the entropy of both is very high while ...
394 views

### How do I calculate the maximum plain text length allowable for a certain cipher text length?

I am encrypting and storing sensitive values in the database. I have a set max length in the database, but in order to provide useful user feedback, I'd like to know the max input I should allow for a ...
753 views

### Can I use PBKDF2 for authentication and decryption?

I want to store a hash for authenticating a password. I also want to use the same password for decryption. Can I use PBKDF2 for both? (I plan to use different salts for the authentication and the ...
4k views

### How do I store encrypted files on a web server and decrypt them locally?

I want to store files (images) on a public webserver and let users see them if they know a password. The server shouldn't have the unecrypted files and the server can only serve files, not perform ...
521 views

### Recommended Books for Cryptography : Theory and Implementation [closed]

It is a great idea if experts in Cryptography from mathematicians to security engineers introduce books and textbooks which they think is helpful or instructive for all people interested in the ...
244 views

### Using chi square for distinguishing between compressed and random data

I am trying to find some measurement for identifying and distinguishing between compressed and random data. I tried this first by computing the entropy of such data, the entropy value is extremely ...
5k views

### Are there hash algorithms with variable length output?

I understand that for example MD5 produces a 128 bit hash value from a given text of variable size. My question is if there is a hash-like algorithm that will produce a hash value where one can ...
1k views

### Homomorphic cryptosystems in RSA

Hopefully Crypto can help me understand homomorphic cryptosystems. I'm designing a high score server for a game I made, and because of facets in the language i'm using, the player would be able to ...
918 views

### How to implement order preserving encryption or order preserving hashing [closed]

Does anybody know any free implementation of either order preserving encryption or order preserving hashing? I've found some codes like CMPH but I need to dynamically add new DATA and that's why most ...
3k views

### Common modulus attack on RSA when the 2 public exponents differ by a single bit

This is an exam question an i have no idea how to recover the message m. John wants to send an encrypted message to mary who has a pair of RSA keys, However, John does not know Mary's public key and ...
716 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 ...
305 views

### The security of data traffic over both SSTP & SSL

Suppose you're connected to a VPN server via an SSTP VPN, and then you're trying to sign in to your webmail account that is already secured with an SSL certificate, e.g. hushmail.com. However, it ...
449 views

### Is any decent RNG acceptable as a stream cipher?

I have a function f(x,n) that takes a 128-bit key x, and generates n bytes of pseudo-random data. I've tested the output bytes this function for various keys with the NIST RNG testing suite (NIST ...
327 views

### Digital Certificate Chain Verification

Does a certificate contain the complete chain of all certificates up to the trusted root certificate, or does the program that verifies certificates have to fetch each parent certificate individually ...
300 views

### Is a continuous stream of encrypted data embedded in garbage more or less secure than only encrypting the data?

Consider a communication channel that needs to be secure (Encryption can not use full "volume" encryption, since future messages are not known). Would it be better to only transmit encrypted ...
1k views

### AES CCM vs CCMP

Are the terms AES CCM and AES CCMP are equivalent, or is there any technical differences between the two?
127 views

### MD5 pre-fixing with an unkown postfix

Is the MD5 prefixing attack still valuable to an attacker if he doesn't know the postfix of the string? For instance, what if the following sanity check was being used: ...
2k views

### Is using a predictable IV with CFB mode safe or not?

While writing this answer, I noted that NIST SP 800-38A says that (emphasis mine): "For the CBC and CFB modes, the IVs must be unpredictable. In particular, for any given plaintext, it must not be ...
299 views

### homomorphic encryption special case of multi party computation?

I read that Fully Homomorphic Encryption schemes are special case of Secure MPC in page no 3. Especially , generalization of two party computation problems stated by Yao But is there any additional ...
508 views

### Why does SRP-6a use k = H(N, g) instead of the k = 3 in SRP-6?

I've been reading up on the Secure Remote Pasword protocol (SRP). There are a couple different versions of the protocol (the original published version being designated SRP-3, with two subsequent ...
4k views

### What is the length of an RSA signature?

Is it the same as the bits of the key (So a 2048 bit system will yield a 2048 bit signature)? At most as the key? Or something else entirely?
687 views

### Which block cipher modes of operation allow a predictable IV?

Recently I found out that in the modes CBC and PCBC the IV may be passed in cleartext but never must be predictable. However for this part of my app I rather have the IV be predictable and unique ...
1k views

### Why can't the IV be predictable when its said it doesn't need to be a secret?

I heard multiple times not to reuse the same IV and IV should be random but doesn't need to be secret. I also heard if the IV is something like sequential numbers or something predictable I should ...
675 views

### Cryptographic GUID?

I need a GUID. Really just any number that is likely to be unique. However I prefer not to leak time and other things as a GUID may leak. What should i use as a cryptographic replacement? I was ...
62 views

### Design question for a service that signs messages on behalf of a user

I'm working on a messaging service that lets users author messages and have them signed with an RSA key. The key is used for identity purposes only and can be revoked, so compromising the private key ...
282 views

### Do MD5's weaknesses affect Oplop?

Oplop is an algorithm that generates account-specific passwords from a master password and user-chosen nickname (typically username@domain). From the website: Concatenate the master password with ...
8k views

### PBKDF2 and salt

I want to ask some questions about the PBKDF2 function and generally about the password-based derivation functions. Actually we use the derivation function together with the salt to provide ...
220 views

### Is stretching hash several times basically the same as bcrypt?

As I understand it, the main advantage of bcrypt is stretching so it becomes slower to crack overtime. But, is using a "good enough" algorithm (e.g., SHA-2 family) then stretching until it's slow ...
3k views

### Secure private key storage

I'm developing application in Java that has to store RSA keys in software for foreseeable future (that is, at least 10 years). The two most common standards of storing private keys are PKCS12 and JKS ...
1k views

### Approach towards anonymous e-voting

I want to implement an internet-based e-voting system. Voters shall be able to cast their vote for one out of n possible candidates. Each candidate has his own ballot-box kept by and at a trustworthy ...
160 views

### Why is 2 the inverse of 10?

I have one question about the ECDSA signature scheme. When Bob wants to send a message to Alice that is to be signed she makes following things (with for example $A = (5,1)$, $d=7$, $q=19$). ...
154 views