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(no subject)
Posted:
Jul 11, 1996 8:04 PM
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In an article in the french edition of the Scientific American about cryptographic procedures to be used with telecommunications, th=
e author tried to explain the Diffie-Helmann Key Exchange algorithm.
He introduced a type of funtions called "modular exponentials" (exponentielles modulaires) such as :
f : x ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ>Ax (mod p), where A, x and p are integers, and p is prime.
The article suggested that two such functions, f and g for example, would commute, so that f[g(x)] = g[(f(x)], enabling two correspo=
ndants, each with his, or her, own function, f or g, to compute the same result, knowing a common integer x and the result of the ot=
her correspondant's transformation of x, but not the other correspondant's personnal function (Hope no one lost his, or her, breath =
on that sentence !)
If I have got this right, then I have news for the world around : IT DOES NOT WORK ! Just try with an example !
So, either Mr Diffie, Mr Hellmann and Mr Merkle should change the batteries of their pocket calculators, or there is something I mis=
sed.
I am enclined to think the second alternative is a better chance, but if nobody helps me out of this one in a jiffy, I will publish =
the first.
Thanks in advance.
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