BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#1

Post by HBlix » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 3:56 PM UTC

BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service
techcrunch.com

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#2

Post by mtgx » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 4:08 PM UTC

It may be quantum-resistant, but it won't be law enforcement-resistant, knowing BlackBerry's track record and public statements on the issue.

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#3

Post by rictic » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 4:28 PM UTC

My first reaction was "why is this news, isn't elliptic curve crypto widely deployed and quantum resistant?"

It looks like the story is more complicated (and most ECC algorithms are not quantum resistant): https://crypto.stackexchange.com/questions/35482/which-ellip...

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#4

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 4:34 PM UTC

rictic wrote: post #3

My first reaction was "why is this news, isn't elliptic curve crypto widely deployed and quantum resistant?" It looks like the story is more complicated (and most ECC algorithms are not quantum resistant): https://crypto.stackexchange.com/questions/35482/which-ellip...

[deleted]

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#5

Post by 3rdAccount » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 4:57 PM UTC

mtgx wrote: post #2

It may be quantum-resistant, but it won't be law enforcement-resistant , knowing BlackBerry's track record and public statements on the issue.

So a gaping security vulnerability built-in?

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#6

Post by dmschulman » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 5:00 PM UTC

3rdAccount wrote: post #5

mtgx wrote: post #2

It may be quantum-resistant, but it won't be law enforcement-resistant , knowing BlackBerry's track record and public statements on the issue.

So a gaping security vulnerability built-in?

It's a feature not a bug

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#7

Post by olliej » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 5:14 PM UTC

rictic wrote: post #3

My first reaction was "why is this news, isn't elliptic curve crypto widely deployed and quantum resistant?" It looks like the story is more complicated (and most ECC algorithms are not quantum resistant): https://crypto.stackexchange.com/questions/35482/which-ellip...

More generally anything based on the discrete logarithm problem (so both rsa and ecc) are not quantum resistance.

As explained to me by an actual maths guy the basic issue is that DLP is heavily biased across its key space. Shor’s algorithm leverages this by doing a Fourier transform that gets the incorrect values to cancel out. The quantum resistant algorithms work by creating an unbiased key space so there’s no ability to cancel out the incorrect answers without also cancelling out the correct ones. In theory anyway. The mailing list seems to consist mostly of people posting flaws in their own systems and/or each other’s.

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#8

Post by amaccuish » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 5:20 PM UTC

mtgx wrote: post #2

It may be quantum-resistant, but it won't be law enforcement-resistant , knowing BlackBerry's track record and public statements on the issue.

If you don't mind me asking, what track record is that? A quick googling only revealed them giving access to their consumer messaging service.

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#9

Post by smaili » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 5:26 PM UTC

I'll be honest, my knee-jerk reaction was "BlackBerry is still in business?". Anyone on HN own one or know of someone who does? I can't recall the last time I walked into a store who actually carried BB products on their shelves.

Re: BlackBerry announces a new quantum-resistant code signing service

#10

Post by BlewisJS » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 5:30 PM UTC

smaili wrote: post #9

I'll be honest, my knee-jerk reaction was "BlackBerry is still in business?". Anyone on HN own one or know of someone who does? I can't recall the last time I walked into a store who actually carried BB products on their shelves.

They pivoted to making software.