Has anyone done an evaluation for work-factor on this new offering?
I think I heard that NIST was carrying out or considering such an
evaluation but am not certain of that.
Vint
------- Forwarded Message
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1992 12:03:31 -0800 (PST)
From: Terry Gray <gray(_at_)cac(_dot_)washington(_dot_)edu>
Subject: RSA alternate? (NeXTWorld Report... (fwd)) (fwd)
To: Vint Cerf <vcerf(_at_)NRI(_dot_)Reston(_dot_)VA(_dot_)US>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc
Subject: MRR's NeXTWORLD Expo Report (long!)
Date: 31 Jan 92 04:43:54 GMT
Organization: Michigan State University
ENCRYPTION. 3.0 includes a new public key encryption algorithm called
Field Elliptical Encryption (FEE). Apparently NeXT tried to license the
well-known RSA algorithm, but they balked at the high fees demanded by
the current patent holder. So, a scientist at NeXT invented this new
algorithm. The FEE implementation bundled with 3.0 can encrypt/decrypt
mail messages and files. While decrypting a mail message, the NeXT
displays an icon of a locked padlock; when the message is decrypted, the
lock opens with a satisfying click.
The discovery and bundled commercial release of a new public key
encryption algorithm should be a significant piece of news. However,
relatively little attention was paid to this announcement at the Expo.
------- End of Forwarded Message