Understanding “Understanding Brute Force”
D J Bernstein’s draft paper Understanding Brute Force argues that the way we currently measure the cost of cryptanalytic attacks is highly misleading. The paper is a good example of Bernstein’s unconventional style, and mixes quite informal writing with very formal and precise descriptions of cryptanalytic methods and costs. Though his conclusions are correct, I think he hasn’t quite put his finger on how people have come to be misled in the past, so I shall have a go here at arguing what I think is the same point in different words.
Continue Reading 1 comment September 21st, 2005 Paul Crowley