Keep it secret, keep it safe

A lot of people really love the idea of cryptography. To computer geeks like us there is nothing cooler than the idea that computing relatively simple arithmetic on a message can enable you to communicate secretly with anyone in the world, even if there are eavesdroppers. Unfortunately, this means that there are a lot of computer people out there who are enamoured with the idea of creating their own cryptosystems, or their own implementations of the cryptosystems invented by others. It also means there are a lot of software product managers who are convinced that security equals cryptography, and that their products will magically become "secure" if only there is more crypto in them. I've gotten a fair number of questions over the years about how to add crypto to applications -- a subject that I am actually not an expert on -- and most of the time the answer is "don't". Many times the question comes from a developer who, though an expert developer of applications in their line of business doesn't "get" the basic idea of cryptography. As a public service, let me lay it out for you. The fundamental idea of modern cryptography is this:

The strength of the security of a large quantity of data -- known as the "plaintext" -- against discovery or modification by a motivated attacker depends upon the security of a small quantity of data -- known as the "key". (*)

That is, modern crypto is essentially a form of mechanical advantage. With a gearing system or a lever you can turn a small motion into a large motion. With a strong cryptosystem you can turn the security of a 1 KB key file into the security of a 10 MB data file. Cryptosystems do not manufacture new security, any more than a lever manufactures new motion. Cryptosystems turn the security of one thing (the key) into the security of another much larger thing (the plaintext).

It is the failure to understand that fundamental idea that underlies most of the questions I get from non-crypto experts about implementing crypto in their applications. Non-crypto experts get enamoured with the math of the cryptosystem but that is not the part that provides the security. The part that provides the security is the security of the key. The cryptosystem itself (or its implementation) might be weak or strong, but even the strongest modern cryptosystem depends fundamentally on the correct management of the keys for its security.

Read more: Fabulous Adventures In Coding
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