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Re: [openpgp] SHA3 algorithm ids.

2015-08-11 15:08:37
On 11/08/2015 17:08 pm, Werner Koch wrote:
On Tue, 11 Aug 2015 14:29, iang(_at_)iang(_dot_)org said:

   * to choose which SHA3 we're going for.  This not only means
addressing the additionals (like the 4 lengths) but also resolving the
uncertainty (perhaps in my mind only) about SHAKES.

I don't think so.  Let's assume that 4880bis specifies SHA-256 as the
replacement for SHA throughout the protocol.  Then it would be pretty
clear that SHA3-256 can be used if surprisingly a Chinese researcher
finds weaknesses in SHA2.


This assumes that any future breach of SHA2 is of the class that we can then drop in a replacement from SHA3 -- without any change. Eg, a prediction that the Chinese researcher attack actually comes true a second time.

I find this unlikely. We're fighting a mythical enemy here, indeed the Chinese research attacker hasn't as yet actually count coup [0] on SHA1 let alone SHA2 :)

I suggest we get back to other things, we're wheel-spinning. If you really want to allocate those numbers, go ahead - I think it is pointless but it does no harm to the document, and it's better to move on.


   * to build a more comprehensive alg-failure recovery strategy.  By
this I mean, more than handwaving at SHA3 as a potential drop in;
making it the actual drop in with a process by which we trigger that

We already have this.  The preference systems greatly helped with the
migration from SHA-1 to SHA-256 et al.


OK, I'd have to review that in the doc. (But I don't have time, so I'll defer.)



iang


[0] old Hollywood term for scalping the enemy in westerns.

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