webcam encryption beats quasar encryption

Heyman, Michael Michael.Heyman at sparta.com
Thu Mar 30 08:45:55 EST 2006


Internet webcam signals from webcams could emerge as an 
exotic but effective new tool for securing terrestrial 
communications against eavesdropping.

Scientists have come up with a method for encrypting 
messages using the internet objects, which emit signals 
and are thought to be powered by DC voltage.

Scientists at the National Institute of Cool Security 
Ideas (NICSI) propose using the signals emitted by 
webcams to lock and unlock digital communications in 
a secure fashion.
 
The researchers believe webcams could make an ideal 
cryptographic tool because the signals they emit are 
impossible to predict. "Webcam-based cryptography is 
based on a physical fact that such a webcam signal 
is random and has a very broad frequency spectrum." 

NICSI scientists suggest using an agreed webcam signal 
to add randomness to a stream cipher.

Each communicating party would only need to know which 
webcam to monitor and when to start in order to encrypt 
and decrypt a message. Without knowing the target webcam
and time an eavesdropper should be unable to decrypt 
the message.

NICSI scientists believes voyeur-cryptography could 
appeal to anyone who requires high-security communications.
He adds that the method does not require a large radio 
antenna like quasar encryption because the signals exist 
already on the internet. Plus quasar signals are really 
boring compared to many webcam signals.

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