OSEC

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Subject: Re: Classified Crypto Correction
From: Michael H. Warfield (mhwwittsend.com)
Date: Tue Oct 03 2000 - 13:09:20 CDT

On Tue, Oct 03, 2000 at 11:58:59AM -0400, John Young wrote:
> [SKIPJACK not BLOWFISH as Type 2]

        Opppsss... :-) Maybe I shouldn't fire back so fast... But,
I'm doing it again, ain't I? :-)

> We've received several responses on encryption protection
> for classified information, and pursued a few leads. Here's a
> brief summary - for which supplements and corrections are
> welcome.

> NSA has at least three levels of strength for categorizing
> encryption algorithms, Types 1, 2 and 3, with 1 the strongest.

> Type1 examples: BATON, JUNIPER, MAYFLY, CRAYON

> Type 2 examples: KEA, SKIPJACK

> Type 3 all the rest, roughly, <40 bits.

> Type 1 for highest level, and, according to some, the
> technical details for none of the algorithms are public.

> Type 2 details are partially known.

        Ok... Update to my question then. Was the SKIPJACK example
an "is" or a "was"? I thought that SkipJack was now released, warts
and all, for public view.

> Type 3 details are generally known but some parts may
> not be public, such as covert access features.

        Mike 

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