This is a randomish collection of links covering common themes in cryptography, including post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and a variety of ways to get around encryption such as bulk equipment interference, key escrow, and side channel attacks on quantum key distribution. It will be interesting to see whether quantum computing becomes a popular way to crack codes or if equipment inference continues to be used to remove the need to. (I originally studied computer science a couple of decades ago before eventually moving into social policy research; I still keep an eye on fun tech things.)
- NIST Releases First 3 Finalized Post-Quantum Encryption Standards (NIST, 13 August 2024)
- Post-quantum encryption contender is taken out by single-core PC and 1 hour (Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 2 Aug 2022)
- NIST Removes Cryptography Algorithm from Random Number Generator Recommendations (NIST, 21 April 2014, on Dual_EC_DRBG)
- Remember the Clipper chip? NSA’s botched backdoor-for-Feds from 1993 still influences today’s encryption debates (Shaun Nichols, The Register, 27 Jan 2020)
- WhatsApp and Signal messages at risk of surveillance following EncroChat ruling, court hears (Bill Goodwin, , 24 July 2024)
- Signal downplays encryption key flaw, fixes it after X drama (Lawrence Abrams, BleepingComputer, 11 July 2024)
- CIA controlled global encryption company for decades, says report (Julian Borger, Guardian, 11 Feb 2020)
- A Study on Implementation Attacks against QKD Systems (BSI [Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security], 2023)