Crypto Researchers Abuzz Over Flaws
Encryption circles are buzzing this week with news that mathematical functions embedded in common security applications might have previously unknown weaknesses.
Source: c|netThe excitement began last Thursday with an announcement that French computer scientist Antoine Joux had uncovered a flaw in a popular algorithm called MD5, often used with digital signatures. Then four Chinese researchers released a paper that reported a way to circumvent a second algorithm, SHA-0. While their results are preliminary, these discoveries could eventually make it easier for intruders to insert undetectable back doors into computer code or to forge an electronic signature--unless a different, more secure algorithm is used. A third, widely anticipated announcement, which could be even more dramatic, is scheduled to take place Tuesday evening at the Crypto 2004 conference in Santa Barbara, Calif.
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