How To
A Field Guide to Spotting Bad Cryptography
It takes an expert to determine whether a cryptographic system is truly secure, but CSOs can learn to spot red flags
By Simson Garfinkel
For example, an interesting area of research in secure computing today involves devices that use a physical unclonable function (PUF). These de-vices implement a fingerprint for computer systemsan identity that cant be changed. Although this seems to violate Red Flag #4, the identity also cant be copied, so PUFs are thought to be reasonably secure.
On the other hand, if you meet a new vendor who has a security gizmo that will encrypt laptop hard drives using a secret high-performance encryption algorithm with an 822-bit encryption key thats stronger than anything allowed by the U.S. Government, now youll know enough to stay clear.
Other stories by Simson Garfinkel
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