-> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
->
-> Forwarded message:
-> >
-> > RSADSI today announced a new multiple-stage contest which will
-> > reward those who crack DES ciphertext more quickly than other contestants.
-> > See: http://www.rsa.com/rsalabs/
-> >
-> > "Our original DES Challenge showed DES was crackable using an
-> > exhaustive search attack," said Jim Bidzos, president of RSA. "Now the
goal
-> > is to see how quickly an exhaustive search attack can be accomplished to
-> > help judge the true vulnerability of DES...."
-> >
-> > As the feds begin, ever so slowly, the process of selecting a
-> > replacement for DES, the RSA contest seem likely to both document and
-> > illustrate how quickly DES can be cracked. Bidzos, continuing his
campaign
-> > to be nominated MAF (Most Admired Fellow) at Ft. Meade, announced
that the
-> > first "DES Challenge II" contest would be launched at 9:00 AM (PST) --
just
-> > before the start of the annual RSA Data Security Conference in S.F.
-> >
-> > "The goal of each contest is not only to recover the secret key
-> > used to DES-encrypt a plain-text message, but to do so faster than
previous
-> > winners in the series," explained an RSA press release.
-> >
-> > "As before, a cash prize will be awarded for the first correct
-> > entry received. Unlike previous contests, the amount of the prize will be
-> > based on how quickly the key is recovered. "
-> >
-> > RSA's T&Cs for DES Challenge II:
-> >
-> > "Twice a year, on January 13 and July 13, at 9:00 A.M. Pacific time, a
-> > new contest will be posted on the home page of RSA's Web site
-> > (http://www.rsa.com).
-> >
-> > "The contest will consist of the ciphertext produced by DES-encrypting
some
-> > unknown plain-text message that has a fixed and known message header. The
-> > secret key will be generated at random and then destroyed within the
-> > contest-generating software so that no one, not even the contest
-> > administrators, will know what it is.
-> >
-> > "The first entrant to recover the key wins, but the amount of the prize
-> > will depend on how fast the key was recovered.
-> >
-> > "If the time required is less than or equal to 25 percent of the previous
-> > winner's time, the prize is $10,000. If the time is greater than 25
-> > percent, but less than or equal to 50 percent of the previous winner's
-> > time, the prize is $5,000. Finally, if the time is greater than 50
percent,
-> > but less than
-> > or equal to 75 percent of the previous winner's time, the prize is
-> > $1,000. There is no prize for times greater than 75 percent of the
-> > previous winner's time.
-> >
-> > "The 'previous winner's' time that will be used for the first contest
is 90
-> > days."
<< end of forwarded material >>
--Don't ask what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you. ...Megadeth
<> tbyars@earthlink.net <>