Cryptanalysis
Some FAQs first.
- How do you go about cryptanalysis?
- Classical cryptanalysis involves an interesting combination of
analytical reasoning, application of mathematical tools, pattern
finding, patience, determination, and luck. It is clear that proficiency
in cryptanalysis is, for the most part, gained through the attempted
solution of given systems. Such experience is considered so valuable
that some of the cryptanalyses performed during WWII by the Allies
are still classified.
- Modern public-key cryptanalysis may consist of factoring an integer,
or taking a discrete logarithm. These are not the traditional fare of
the cryptanalyst. Computational number theorists are some of the most
successful cryptanalysts against public key systems.
- What are some basic cryptoanalytic attacks?
- A standard cryptanalytic attack is to know some plaintext matching a
given piece of ciphertext and try to determine the key which maps one
to the other.
- Basic types of cryptanalytic attacks in order of hardest to easiest
for the "attacker":
- Cyphertext Only.
- Known Plaintext.
- Chosen Cyphertext.
- Adaptive Chosen Plaintext.
- Why are many people still using cryptosystems that are relatively wasy
to break?
- Because they usually don't know any better.
Copyright 1997 by Slackers Union. Comments should go to any of the
group members. Opinions reflected on this page are by no means
opinions
of UCSD. Go sue somebody else.
Last Modified: June 1st, 1997
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