Slashdot Mirror
Zimmermann Enters Debate on Microsoft Encryption
Golygydd Max writes "I didn't see much coverage of the RC4 flaw in Microsoft Office that was uncovered recently by a researcher, Hongjun Wu. Now, PGP creator Phil Zimmermann, dissatisfied with Microsoft's response, has joined in the debate. In an interview with Techworld he castigates Microsoft for their inadequate response: 'The lay user ought to be entitled to assume that the encryption produced by Microsoft is adequate. ... If Microsoft wants to earn the respect of the cryptographic community and the public it must rise to the occasion by producing competent security.' The cynic might ask, 'what respect', but should Microsoft have taken a flaw in some of its most popular programs more seriously?"
Zimmermann makes some Pretty Good Points in the interview.
An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
Why fix it in a free patch, when they can charge money for a new version that you have a reason to buy?
They can't very well have secure encryption in their products, can they? That would contravene whetever secret agreements they have with the NSA.
Fear not, Disney is working on it.
Bah.... What does Bob Dylan know about encryption anyway. :)
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
Am I the only one who saw "Zimmerman" and thought of the inventer of the Emergency Medical Hologram?
Zvpebfbsg vf pbzzvggrq gb ranoyvat rirel phfgbzre gb jbex, pbzzhavpngr, naq genafnpg ohfvarff zber frpheryl. Oruvaq gur tybony frphevgl zbovyvmngvba naabhaprq va Bpgbore 2003, jr jvyy pbagvahr gbjneq gung tbny ol jbexvat pybfryl jvgu phfgbzref, cnegaref, naq gur vaqhfgel. Jr zrnfher bhe rssbegf hfvat gur FQ?+P senzrjbex.
I use ROT13.
It is open source and has never been broken so far.
Dear security researchers,
You can try to crack our encryption all you want. Microsoft Office(TM) documents are still the most secure format in the world, since you still won't be able to render them properly even if you manage to decrypt them.
Sincerely,
The Microsoft Corporation
Me too. But, just to be safe, I do it twice.
These jokes are like one time pads. The more you use them, the less effective they are.
I have heard about this method before. If you wish to increase the security, it is best to take your original string, and simply XOR it with itself.