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Zhang Weiwu wrote: |
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> Hello. First my math skill is very bad. I cannot understand the |
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> cryptology (even though I tried). I am now using IDEA for my server's |
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> SSL. My users wish to know how safe it is, I wish I can give a clear |
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> answer. |
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> |
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> I don't know if cracking IDEA is anything related to the content |
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> length? I mean, does decrypt a 100Bytes encrypted document same |
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> difficult as decrypting a 100MBytes document? |
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Yes. Cracking time depends on algorithm and key length (or key length |
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only, if you apply brute force). After you cracked the key, you can |
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decrypt the message as fast as anyone having the key. |
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> If cracking time is not related to content length, how difficult to |
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> crack it? If I have a Pentium 1GHz PC, how many years averagely do I |
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> need to crack it? 1,000 years? 1,000,000 years? |
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If this is multiple choice, I'd choose the latter :-). Let's just say |
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it's not feasible to crack the key, most data corruption is done through |
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man-in-the-middle, root kits/keylogger, password as post-it on |
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pc-screen... Anyone having the ressources to crack IDEA should also be |
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able to find a weaker link. |
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HTH, |
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T. |