Math and Cryptography Add Up

For a fascinating look at the relationship between mathematics and cryptography, don't miss Neal Koblitz's article The Uneasy Relationship Between Mathematics and Cryptography. Neal Koblitz started out as a mathematician but ended up as a cryptographer, discusses how mathematics has been used in cryptography research and also comments on the cultural aspects of the mixing of the two fields. For instance, about the time Koblitz dove into cryptography, the National Security Agency tried to restrict open research in the field.

Nonetheless, Koblitz and others still managed to come up with xedni calculus ("xedni" is "index" spelled backwards) that seemed initially a way to crack ECC systems, but proved to be impractically slow method of attack.

A fascinating paper in which the author is able to bring forth the fun in doing cryptographic research.

Posted by Jon Erickson at 05:05 PM  Permalink