RSA replacement by Irish girl

[Wim Vandeputte]

Matthias Urlichs wrote:

> Is there an URL for her idea, or (better :-) her code?


>From CRYPTO-GRAM, January 15, 1999

> The press is buzzing about an Irish teenager creating a brilliant new
> public-key scheme called Cayley-Purser, supposedly much better than RSA.
> "Even when high security levels are required, her code can encrypt a letter
> in just one minute -- a widely used encryption standard called RSA would
> take 30 minutes.  'But she has also proven that her code is as secure as
> RSA,' says Dr Flannery.  'It wouldn't be worth a hat of straw if it was
> not.'"  Leaving aside the incredibly quaint Irish metaphor, this is what I
> do know:  The system is based on RSA, but I have not seen it.  It is
> believed to be as strong as RSA, but there is no proof.  The key and the
> ciphertext are about eight times the length of the modulus, rather than
> more-or-less the length of the modulus as with RSA.  It is faster, but I
> don't know by how much and under what assumptions.  Is this going to change
> the world, no.  Might it be interesting, yes.  We'll have to wait and see.
> In any case, it is cool to see serious cryptography out of a new researcher.
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_254000/254236.stm
> http://www.msnbc.com/news/231690.asp
> http://jya.com/flannery.htm


> A free monthly newsletter providing summaries, analyses, insights, and
> commentaries on cryptography and computer security.

> Copyright (c) 1999 by Bruce Schneier

*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*-=-*
Wim Vandeputte                                       --Comfort is Treachery--
                                              --So pound the nails in tight--