> As a general rule, don't use conventional encryption methods to transmit information with long-term sensitivity (e.g. medical records, etc.).
So what do you suggest I use today, given that I have a medical record here and I need it over there?
So what do you suggest I use today, given that I have a medical record here and I need it over there?
Details: https://www.nsa.gov/ia/programs/suiteb_cryptography/index.sh...
For network transfers, you'll likely also want to select your encryption with PFS:
For defense against large quantum computers, different PFS schemes need to be used (fortunately not hard to construct from other post quantum primitives).
(A) Handling key exchange (Diffie-Hellmman) is ugly. There are other algorithms, but I'm unclear what a good choice is right now. I'm also unclear if larger key sizes are actually helpful. (B) For symmetric algorithms, AES, use AES-256. In the quantum case, it might be equivalent to ~127-128 bit AES, which is pretty decent. (C) For hashing, use SHA-512. It uses 64-bit words, and might be similar in strength to SHA-256 today. (D) A lot of hash algorithms can actually be used as signature schemes, especially if you combine them with Merkle tree like structures.
Also, all alphanumeric combinations have been generated.
The receiving party received the data on physical media in the mail, but refused to access it, as the tool used to encrypt the data wasn't validated to FIPS 140-2 Level 2. (It was a reasonably good commercial product, and had Level 1 validation, and the folks negotiating this had no clue what that meant anyway) Why did that matter? Who the hell knows.
Their counter proposal was that something like 2,000 pages of whatever would be securely transmitted via Fax.
The punchline is that the stuff ended up getting re-shipped in paper form via Fedex Same-Day, securely nestled in a big pelican case secured with zip ties and a $30 padlock. Everyone shook their heads, except for the poor secretary facing sending 2,000 pages through a fax machine :)