Banks and 128 bit DES

[Peter Gutmann]

Owen Blacker <owenfb@easynet.co.uk> writes:

>>[Forteebit vs hunnertwenneeatebit encryption]

>And it's not a *particularly* bad way for someone to grasp the concept
>without understanding the details.  It'll suffice, methinks...   :o)

The problem occurs when the same people write security requirements which
stipulate the use of "128-bit RSA encryption" and "X.509 certificates with
128-bit keys" and similar gobbledigook (I've seen a number of these,
including ones from government departments requiring that everyone in a
particular field use these key sizes).

Peter.