Strength in Complexity?

[Arshad Noor]

The author of an article that appeared in InformationWeek this week
(June 30, 2008) on Enterprise Key Management Infrastructure (EKMI):

http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=208800937

states the following:

"There are, of course, obstacles that must still be overcome by EKMI 
proponents. For example, the proposed components are somewhat simple by 
design, which concerns some encryption purists who prefer more complex 
protocols, on the logic that they're more difficult to break into."

In light of the recent discussions about experts in cryptography,
I thought I'd ask this forum to comment on the above author's
statement: is this true?

Do cryptography experts deliberately choose complexity over simplicity
when the latter might provide the same strength of protection?  Since I
do not consider myself a cryptography expert, and have instinctively
preferred simpler - but strong - technical solutions, have my instincts
been wrong all along?  TIA.

Arshad Noor
StrongAuth, Inc.

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