RE: Clarifying controversial criteria

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On Tuesday, March 12, 1996 1:04 PM, Raph Levien[SMTP:raph@c2.org] wrote:
>
> <snip>
>>
>>Secure Interoperability
>>
>>There exists some algorithm set which is both contained in all
>>implementations of the protocol and is considered secure by modern
>>cryptographic practice, as exemplified in part by the BSA recommendations
>>on minimum keylength. 
>
> <snip>
>>
>>   Given these definitions, this matrix follows naturally:
>>
>>                     PGP  MOSS  PGP/MIME  S/MIME  MSP
>>      Interoperable   +   ?(1)     +        +
>>      Secure Int      +            +
>>      Exportable                            +      +
>>
> <snip>
>>
>>S/MIME gets +, blank, + because 40 bit RC2 is required by the spec to be 
>>present in all S/MIME implementations, but it is not secure. RSA + 
>>Triple-DES is secure, but absent in some implementations.

It is only recommended to use RC2 40 bit for encrypting messages unless you
know that the recipient can take more.  Any implementation of RC2 will be
able to support keylengths up to the algorithm maximum (255 bits, I think),
so it seems that S/MIME should get a + for Secure Int.

Blake

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