# All Questions

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### Is it theoretically possible to construct a string that contains its own hash value?

After saw the xkcd comic Self-Description, I wonder if it is theoretically possible to construct a self-descriptive string that contains its own hash value? Let's say the string's MD5 value is ...
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### Is there any implementation of scrypt that allows a specific limit on memory?

The answerer has commented that scrypt's memory use is "only a function of r". $\:$ However, he has not addressed my argument that it also depends on N, in one of my comments from over 5 days ago. I ...
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### Can anyone explain most popular RSA attacks like I'm 5?

Suppose I implement RSA myself in C and I use just the formulas from number theory. What attacks would my implementation be vulnerable to? Can anyone explain this to me like I'm 5?
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### RSA random prime generator

What is the current standard of random bit generators? RSA relies on two large prime numbers, and I am wondering what is the algorithm used to generate such numbers?
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### Why is the P-521 elliptic curve not in Suite B if AES-256 is?

In the NSA's document, "The Case for Elliptic Curve Cryptography" (archived), we have ...
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### Will our app be FIPS 140-2 compliant if we use our own AES algorithm implementation?

We are in the processing to understand if our software applications is FIPS 140-2 compliant or not. Currently in our application, we are using our own implementation of AES algorithm. AES is a FIPS ...
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### How does RSA signature verification work?

I understand how the RSA algorithm works for encryption and decryption purposes but I don't get how signing is done. Here's what I (think) I know and is common practice: If I have a message that I ...
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### Understanding the “cube-root math” behind an RSA signature forgery

I'm trying to understand the math outlined in this paper on a RSA signature forgery attack. I understand it except for one aspect of how the cube root (that makes the forged signature) is computed. ...
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### How resilient to attackers with extreme resources available is this encryption method?

How could the following scheme be made more resilient to attacks capable of utilizing massive amounts of resources? Assume all random values are cryptographically secure. Key derivation: scrypt ...
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### Brute force attack on RSA - success criteria?

In a hypothetical discussion we ended up with a concrete question I'd like to find the answer to: If you try to brute force an RSA encryption, but the original vale which was encrypted was just ...
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### Is a 1024-bit DSA key considered safe?

I created my PGP key in 2000. I’ve revoked the older, weaker sub-keys in favor of a 4096-bit RSA one, but the primary key is 1024-bit DSA. I read on Wikipedia that… NIST 800-57 recommends lengths ...
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### Strength of CBC with Ciphertext Stealing

Is CBC with Ciphertext Stealing (CTS) considerably weaker than CBC with padding such as PKCS7? I would imagine the most common situation where CTS is necessary would be due to some size constraint of ...
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### How relevant are hardware implementations of crypto algorithms?

All of the SHA-3 finalists discussed speed and efficiency of a hardware implementation of their algorithms. How relevant are such details? I'm curious about who commercializes hardware that ...
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### Identification of correct plaintext after decryption in Rabin cryptosystem

In the Rabin cryptosystem, decrypting a message can produce four different outputs, of which only one is the correct plaintext. How can one know which of the outputs is the correct one?
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### OMAC/CMAC constant for different block sizes

OMAC/CMAC only specifies constants for 64-bit (0x1B) and 128-bit (0x87) block size. I would like to know how to get constants ...
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### Generate Elliptic Curve Private Key from User Passphrase?

I'd like to generate a private elliptic curve key from user input like pass phrase. Is the best way to do this with a key derivation function like PBKDF2? Is there a better way? Edit (based upon @...
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### Am I insecurely implementing AES in Python? [closed]

My name is Pat, I'm a rising high school senior interested in Comp Sci. I've taken interest in cryptography following the NSA scandal. Since this is the first time I've ever implemented encryption ...
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### Is it possible to subtract/multiply numbers using homomorphic encryption?

Most of the libraries I've seen allow you to add encrypted numbers. Is it possible to subtract and multiply them?
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### Technical details of attack on Android bitcoin usage of SecureRandom

Reports are surfacing that Android's Java SecureRandom class has issues and isn't totally secure. A specific example of how this issue translates to applications is bitcoin, where reports are stating ...
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### Do companies like CipherCloud really have the option to use homomorphic encryption?

I was reading How is CipherCloud doing homomorphic encryption? and was wondering: Is there a technically feasible way for companies like CipherCloud to use homomorphic encryption (HE) while ...
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### Fractal Merkle Traversal

I am studying Fractal Merkle Tree Traversal algorithm in the book “Post Quantum Cryptography” (PDF). On the [pag. 54] I don't understand this paragraph: We may determine the number of pebbles ...
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### Pre-image resistant but not 2nd pre-image resistant?

Are there any cryptographic hash functions for which there is a known pre-image attack, or a known second pre-image attack, but not both? The attack doesn't have to be practical - just anything that ...
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### How to use salt when there is only one user

I am encrypting files for storage in an untrusted location, using a custom Java program to do that. There is only one user, but there are many files. I am using AES in CBC mode with PKCS5 padding, and ...
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### RC2, RC4, RC5 key length

While reading the Wiki page on RC4 I noticed that the key size must be in the range of 40–2,048 bits. So should I understand like this, that I can have a key that has length of, lets say 333 bits? (...
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### How does certificate-based encryption solve key revocation problem?

How does certificate-based encryption solve key revocation problem? For example, if a user accidentally reveals its secret key or an attacker compromises it, the user may request revocation of its ...
2k views

### Why does DES use exactly 16 rounds?

Why does DES use exactly 16 rounds and not more or less than 16? What is the significance of using 16 rounds?
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### Verify Messages to Embedded Device

I'm building an embedded device that I plan on distributing. Periodically the device will poll my server to check for updates and commands. I'd like the device to verify that any messages(JSON strings ...
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### How does DES decryption work? Is it the same as encryption or the reverse? [duplicate]

If DES decryption is the same as encryption done in reverse order, then how can the reversed S-Box convert 4 bits into 6 bits?
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### How Were secp*k1 elliptic curve generators chosen?

The Koblitz elliptic curves specified in the SEC2 document https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.secg.org%2Fcollateral%2Fsec2_final.pdf all have the nice feature that the parameters are ...