If I write it, will they come? Data Encryption Algorithm

So I'm sitting here closing out my day at work; and I'm mulling over an encryption algorithm that may be 'uncrackable'.

Having spent some time in computerized cryptography, I have a fairly good understanding of how most encryption works these days - and I know that most of them can be cracked if enough time is spent. An extra credit assignment in one of my college courses was to do exactly this; and I was one of two people to successfully complete it.

This being said, I wonder if anyone at ATS would be willing to try their hand at decrypting a string after I pass it through the algorithm ( once I write a brief trial application to test it under ). Does anyone think they have the chops?

I'm feeling pretty froggy today; so I think I'll begin writing a first-pass on this within a couple of hours - so a sample string might be ready later this evening. If anyone is up to the task, lemme know, and I'll either make another thread or post it in this one once I have it... Or both.



Almost Friday ladies and gentlemen... Almost...

Not a cracker so I can't really help, but I was wondering if your algorithm would remain un-crackable if everyone knew the algorithm used or does it depend on secrecy?

originally posted by: Elton
Not a cracker so I can't really help, but I was wondering if your algorithm would remain un-crackable if everyone knew the algorithm used or does it depend on secrecy?

Thoroughly valid question - and I had to think pretty hard on this on my way home...

I'm going to say that without the algorithm; it may be entirely impossible to crack, and that WITH the algorithm, the only way to crack it would be via brute-force.

Now... I may be wrong in both of those assessments; and I won't know how effective the algorithm will truly be until I run a couple of strings through it - but my honest belief at the moment is the above.

Now; if you're unaware of what a brute force attack is, it would be testing the string against every possible password, or key. Example being: 'a', 'b', 'c', 'aa', 'ab', 'ac', 'ba', 'bb', 'bc', etc...

Noting that you mention a lack of experience in the field; I will simply assure you that this is a very painful approach - and almost every decryption algorithm today avoids this at every cost.

a reply to: DigitalJedi805

Uncrackable, you say....

Can you give an outline (without revealing too much) about your algorithm? Is it public key? Is it based on historical encryption scheme/s or is it a modern digital one.

Also, I don't have the compute resources for cracking really, so its unlikely that I'll decrypt it.

I'm in

If you made a truly un-crackable algorithm, you'd be dead by dawn and your algorithm would fall into the hands of secret boogymen.

Unless, of course, you put it out for the whole world to see before anyone knew what you were up to. It'd certainly change the way security works, but I've got my doubts that it's un-crackable; simply computationally difficult.
Would love to be proved wrong

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: DigitalJedi805

Uncrackable, you say....

Can you give an outline (without revealing too much) about your algorithm? Is it public key? Is it based on historical encryption scheme/s or is it a modern digital one.

Also, I don't have the compute resources for cracking really, so its unlikely that I'll decrypt it.

I'm in

Indeed I do say good sir!

As far as outlining it; I'd rather not go into much detail until I verify how strong it is or not - but it would be public key based ( I may change that ), and it would be a digital algorithm; taking advantage of bit-wise encryption.

I'd love to feed some more information that this; but I believe I would be unwise to do so until it has been proven.

originally posted by: lordcomac
If you made a truly un-crackable algorithm, you'd be dead by dawn and your algorithm would fall into the hands of secret boogymen.

Unless, of course, you put it out for the whole world to see before anyone knew what you were up to. It'd certainly change the way security works, but I've got my doubts that it's un-crackable; simply computationally difficult.
Would love to be proved wrong

Oh I'm ready for the boogyman; he doesn't know what he's walking into.

I enjoy the challenge you propose; as I know how unlikely something like this really is, so expect me to render something magnificent.

I think when I post my encrypted string, I'm going to provide the key with it - or perhaps two strings; one with a key and the other without. We'll see who comes up with what

ETA: ( I'm that confident in it... )

If you gave out the original string, it would only be matter of comparison unless you used keys.