[Cryptography] asymmetric attacks on crypto-protocols - the rough consensus attack

[Tony Arcieri]

On Sat, Aug 1, 2015 at 9:27 PM, ianG <iang at iang.org> wrote:

> There's a group working on a new crypto protocol.  I don't need to name
> them because it's a general issue, but we're talking about one of those
> "rough consensus and working code" rooms where dedicated engineers do what
> they most want to do - create new Internet systems.
>
> This new crypto protocol will take a hitherto totally open treasure trove
> of data and hide it.  Not particularly well but well enough to make the
> attacker work at it.  The attacker will have to actually do something,
> instead of just hoovering.
>

Ok, so I see through your thinly veiled wording to the WG in question ;)


> It turns out that there is a really nice attack.  If the group has a
> protocol in mind, then all the attacker has to do is:
>
>   a) suggest a new alternate protocol.
>   b) balance the group so that there is disagreement, roughly evenly
> balanced between the original and the challenger.


For what it's worth, I got frustrated with this particular group and
stopped participating entirely...

-- 
Tony Arcieri
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