Cryptonight
Why don't we use encryption?
PGP has been around for a decade and is easily integrated into every mail reader, yet no one uses it. Much of today's portable tech is about networked information gadgets, Tivos, Blackberrys, etc. Some of them have a little encryption, but not much to speak of. Consumers never ask for it. "Excuse me, is this cell phone encrypted?" Exactly. Sounds stupid, doesn't it?
So why not? Widespread use of even light encryption would make widescale digital espionage nearly impossible. Once you got used to it, the cumbersome factor would go away.
I have to conclude that there's two reasons. The first is because people would think that a crypto user was being conspiratorial. It's like wearing a tinfoil hat and muttering about black helicopters. Public perception is against people using encryption.
The second reason is a little more speculative and ironically enough, conspiratorial. It is so clearly in the intelligence agencies best interests if encryption was not generally being used, that I wonder if there hasn't been a secret PR campaign to set up reason #1. If they haven't been acting behind the scenes to discourage universal adoption, then they're fools--and the NSA are not fools. Some of the smartest people that I've ever met work there.
If anyone has anything on this or some more speculation, I would be very interested to hear it.
Posted on February 09, 2006
