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The following archive was created by hippie-mail 7.98617-22 on Sat Apr 10 1999 - 01:14:01
bram (bram@gawth.com)
Mon, 28 Sep 1998 12:03:42 -0700 (PDT)
On Mon, 28 Sep 1998, Bruce Schneier wrote:
> At 01:26 PM 9/28/98 +1000, Hafeez Bana wrote:
> >
> >+ The algorithms for encryption and decryption are *so simple*.I cannot
> >figure out the logic behind them.What I am trying to say is that all i can
> >see is some bit manipulation going on - but I notice that each algorithm
> >proposes a different way to do it.Hence what are the conditions that
> >determine how the bits are to be switched..is there any math logic to this
> >i.e actually proving that switching/shifting bits in one way is more
> >"secure" that in some other?
>
> It's more black magic than mathematical theory, but there is mathematics
> behind the analyses.
For anyone who might not already know what this means -
There are a number of good, solid building blocks of complexity theory,
with several basic results proven, and good ways of discussing
conjectures, HOWEVER ...
Most of the theory is still just that - conjecture. Now, most of us are
convinced that the more important conjectures (P != NP, for one) are true,
but we have no real way of explaining why other than simply experience in
the act of futility of trying to accomplish the opposite.
You can think of modern cryptography as being similar to alchemy - For a
long time, alchemists were unsure of whether it was possible to transmute
other metals into gold. Most thought it wasn't, and they were right, but
it was a long, long time before the reasons why became understood.
-Bram
The following archive was created by hippie-mail 7.98617-22 on Sat Apr 10 1999 - 01:14:01