Cryptographic Robustness

The robustness of algorithms is their resistance to attacks.

• No one can evaluate it precisely.

  • Only speculate or demonstrate using some other robustness assumptions.

• They are robust until someone breaks them.

• There are public guidelines on what should/must not be used.

  • Sometimes it anticipates future problems.

Algorithms with longer keys are probably stronger.

• And usually slower...

Public algorithms w/o known attacks are probably stronger.

• More people looking for weakness.