Re: ssh, /dev/urandom

[PUYDT Julien <julien.puydt@laposte.net>]

Le mer 18/12/2002 à 18:45, Niels Möller a écrit :
> use some other construction that is secure even if the enemy has infinite
> computational power

I'm pretty sure it isn't possible:
1) you always want someone to read your message; hence no cryptalgo can
be infinitely secure, there must be some key;
2) even with a finite computational power, any finitely complex problem
may be solved in a finite time; the point is that "finite" doesn't mean
"small";

One of the problems of cryptomathematics is to create algos that are
breakable real fast when one has _the_ key, and real slow when one
hasn't. The goal isn't to hide things forever, but just long enough so
that the message becomes useless, crypted or not. (note in the ps)


Snark on #hurd, #hurdfr


PS:
That is why in cryptalgos, it is current to read things like: "choose p
a large prime (*)" and at the bottom of the page: "(*) you really should
make sure that p-1 is reduced and has a good granularity, and that none
of its primes are ...".