[GnuPG-users] identical files -> non-identical encrypted files

[Werner Koch]

On Sat,  2 Aug 2008 19:36, kissg at ssg.ki.iif.hu said:

> The password is not random therefore every time you
> encrypt the same plaintext you got the same cryptfile.

No, you won't.  All sound encryption schemes use a bit of random to make
the resulting ciphertext different.  In the easiest case this is called
a salt and used to stop dictionary attacks.  For example, such a salt
has been used for 25 years or so on all Unix systems to protect the
login password.

> (The opposite would cause big problems in a disk encryption system. :-)

No.  Different ciphertexts may yield the same plaintext.


Salam-Shalom,

   Werner

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