Re: weak devices

["William Allen Simpson" <bill.simpson@um.cc.umich.edu>]

> From: uri@watson.ibm.com
> Phil Karn says:
> > >Phil, how well are these devices equipped to do modular exponentiations
> > >as required for the mechanisms we discuss?
> >
> > Not very well, I'm afraid. But if you want the ultimate in security,
> > you want to use a trusted machine even if it's slower than something
> > else.
>
> OK, then why were we discussing how fast or slow MD5 is on those
> trusted but underpowered machines?
>
Because the modular exponentiation is done only once every few hours or
days.

The MD5 (as opposed to Photuris cookies) is to prevent clogging attacks
many times a second.  You can't prevent clogging attacks with an
algorithm that clogs the machine!

Bill.Simpson@um.cc.umich.edu

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