Re: Newbie : openssh and RC4

From: Richard E. Silverman (res_at_qoxp.net)
Date: 08/29/03 

Date: 28 Aug 2003 23:15:26 -0400

>>>>> "NKG" == Nico Kadel-Garcia <nkadel@verizon.net> writes:

    NKG> ??? You can compile OpenSSH without the SSL libraries, I believe,

I assume you mean "OpenSSL" here, rather than "SSL" (since OpenSSH does
not actually use the SSL protocol) -- and I know of no such option;
OpenSSH takes all its crypto primitives from OpenSSL. It wouldn't do much
without it.

    NKG> but considering that OpenSSH itself uses 1024 bit keys, I don't
    NKG> think you come out ahead.....

I don't know what you mean by "OpenSSH itself" -- presumably, some build
of OpenSSH without OpenSSL, which I don't think exists. In any event,
this is comparing apples and oranges, Nico. 1024 and similar bit lengths
are used by public-key algorithms for authentication and key agreement,
which are not generally restricted by crypto-as-munitions laws. In
talking about RC4 and 128-bit keys, the OP is referring to restrictions on
actual (symmetric) encryption algorithms. 

-- 
  Richard Silverman
  res@qoxp.net