Re: Definition of Military / Government grade ciphers

From: John E. Hadstate (nospam_at_null.nil)
Date: 05/29/03 

Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 09:53:20 -0400

"majikcypher" <nationalsecurity@softhome.net> wrote in message
news:920458c6.0305281708.7c65b9@posting.google.com...
> Most of the different ciphers I use to encrypt my files are labeled as
> "Military Grade" or "government Strength". But exactly what does this
> mean

It is "meaningless" as in "devoid of meaning". If you want encryption
that's acceptable to government agencies for protecting "Sensitive but
Unclassified" information, look for 3DES (or Triple-DES), or AES on the box.
My understanding of SBU is that it is aggregations of stuff like Social
Security numbers, financial information, health information or other
information the disclosure of which would probably be judged an invasion of
privacy. There are probably a few items that are legally required to be
protected that fall into this category. If you have real U.S. Government
Classified Information to protect, you have access to resources beyond the
capabilities of commercial products.

> but I want to know exactly how good it has to be to be given this name)?

It has to be exactly as good as it is to be given that name. There is no
significance to either "Military Grade" or "Government Strength" as applied
to crypto algorithms. People who work with U. S. Government Classified data
don't rely on commercial or public algorithms for protection.

> Also what do you think are
> the strongest algorithms (publicly). I like Blowfish and Rijndael.

I like Marlin-III. When I get through designing it, it will be, like its
predecessor Marlin-II, slow, unbreakable, military-grade, and government
strength. In the meantime, the government says I have to use AES to protect
its data, so that's what I use.

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