Easy Encryption In Java and Python With Keyczar

rsk writes "Keyczar is an encryption toolkit born out of the Google Security Team and released under the Apache 2 license. Keyczar's purpose is to make managing encryption of secured data much easier than it has been, with the following features: a simple API; key rotation and versioning; safe default algorithms, modes, and key lengths; automated generation of initialization vectors and ciphertext signatures; Java and Python implementations (C++ coming soon); and international support in Java (Python coming soon). The example on the website is only 2 lines long, and a more fully worked out example is also provided for folks wanting to get started 'for reals.'"

Comments

Re:And this simplifies things... how?

[wbren]

I think this is similar to the programming books that say, "Look how easy it is to create a real C program! Just one line of code!" Yeah, it technically compiles and runs, but it doesn't do much of anything. This is a fairly common problem with crypto libraries in my experience: making things seem simpler than they should be in return for the "wow factor" of two-line examples, like the one provided.

This library seems to be making a big deal about "secure defaults", but I think trying to provide defaults of any kind is a really bad idea. Cryptography is something that should be thought out on a case-by-case basis. Providing defaults of any kind can lead to misuse of otherwise safe algorithms. The safest gun is still dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced person.