One of the possible encryption algorithms that was a strong candidate for use in the world of quantum computing has simply been ominously defeated.
The algorithm in question is called SIKE (Supersingular Isogeny Key Encapsulation) and it passed the encryption algorithm competition set by the US Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In other words, it almost became the standard encryption algorithm in the world of quantum computing.
However, it took the researchers about an hour to crack it and steal the encryption keys, using only a single-core PC and the power of math.
attack the math
Although SIKE performed fairly well in scanning the government, it took the researchers at KU Leuven's Computer Security and Industrial Cryptography (CSIS) group about an hour to obtain the encryption key.
The report says that they did not attempt to find a flaw in the code, but instead attacked the very mathematics that make up the algorithm, Supersingular Isogeny Diffie-Hellman (SIDH). The algorithm, the researchers explain, is vulnerable to the "paste and split" theorem, with the attack using gender 2 curves, to attack gender 1 curves.
"The newly discovered weakness is clearly a blow to SIKE," confirmed SIKE co-inventor David Jao, a professor at the University of Waterloo.
For their efforts, Microsoft rewarded the researchers, who published their findings in the article "An Effective Key Recovery Attack on SIDH (Preview)," with $50.000.
SIKE was one of four algorithms likely to replace those currently in use: RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman, according to the publication. Despite their perceived strength, they can be easily hacked once quantum computers take off. And with these devices expected to hit the mainstream by the end of the decade, now is the time to find a replacement for the algorithms.
Quantum computers are infinitely more powerful than today's best devices and have the ability to crack today's most difficult encryption algorithms. This prompted governments and scientists around the world to find a solution.
Via: Tom's Hardware (opens in a new tab)