For this Discussion, you will examine the security and future of elliptic curve
ID: 3736612 • Letter: F
Question
For this Discussion, you will examine the security and future of elliptic curve cryptography.
The NSA spent many years standardising the Suite B cryptography standard which includes elliptic curve cryptographic techniques. The Suite B cryptography was certified for top secret data protection.
In August 2015, the NSA gave up the Suite B cryptography standard by issuing the following statement:
Unfortunately, the growth of elliptic curve use has bumped up against the fact of continued progress in the research on quantum computing, which has made it clear that elliptic curve cryptography is not the long-term solution many once hoped it would be. (Russon, 2015).
Without government support, the future of elliptic curve cryptography is not clear. The following is an interesting non-academic paper written by elliptic curve cryptography experts and it may help your research:
Koblitz, N. and Menezes, A. (2015) ‘A riddle wrapped in an enigma’, Cryptology Eprint Archive. Available at: https://eprint.iacr.org/2015/1018.pdf (Accessed 26 June 2017).
Russon, M. (2015) ‘NSA worried that quantum computing will foil the cryptography protecting all data to date’, International Business Times. Available at: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/nsa-worried-that-quantum-computing-will-foil-cryptography-protecting-all-data-date-1516795 (Accessed 26 June 2017).
Discussion
How secure is elliptic curve cryptography?
After the NSA gave up elliptic curve cryptography, will industry continue to use it and why?
Would you want to use elliptic curve cryptography in your applications and why?
The NSA does not disclose any of its reasons except potential quantum computer attacks on elliptic curve cryptography. What do you think is the reason (or reasons) for the NSA to give up elliptic curve cryptography?
Explanation / Answer
Suite B was announced on 16 February 2005. A corresponding set of unpublished algorithms, Suite A, is "used in applications where Suite B may not be appropriate.
Suite B's components are:
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with key sizes of 128 and 256 bits. For traffic flow, AES should be used with either the Counter Mode (CTR) for low bandwidth traffic or the Galois/Counter Mode (GCM) mode of operation for high bandwidth traffic (see Block cipher modes of operation) – symmetric encryption
Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) – digital signatures
NSA Suite B Cryptography is a set of cryptographic algorithms promulgated by the National Security Agency as part of its Cryptographic Modernization Program.