The security world in general (including crypto) is far more sensitive
than it ought to be to mass media. This is primarily because security
is an information-asymmetric or information-poor world. Which is to
say, as a society, we simply don't know enough how to do this thing
called security.
As we have doubts that quantum crypto has practical advantages over what
we already have, it's better to view it as not a security project at
all. It's a business proposition. Can the business of quantum
cryptography create enough media perception that it is worthy of funding?
This is a time-honoured game. It is huge driver in science, and large
enough to poison the very science of science. So it's no wonder that
these sort of things pop up from time to time.
And, it's a no-brainer for a publicity circus such as World Cup and
Elections and the like to employ every other publicity circus out there
to assist. Why not? Publicity is the measure, not science.
PT Barnham said it, there's no bad publicity in the circus business.
iang
On 23/06/10 1:44 PM, Danilo Gligoroski wrote:
Maybe we have forgotten bombastic news from 3 years ago about Quantum crypto
protecting the security of ballots in Swiss elections
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/101007-quantum-cryptography-secure-bal
lots.html but here it is again in a similar but much bigger event (from
popularity point of view):
Quantum crypto employed at world cup in South Africa:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/06/21/world-cup-security-uses-physics-th
wart-hackers/
Why my feeling of déjà vu is so strong?
Maybe because I spotted a pattern with similar points:
1. There is an event that is well covered by the mass media
2. There is a wealthy customer who is organizing the event, and who is ready
to pay for "unbreakable data protection"
And as a warning to all who use classical crypto here is the sentence from
the article:
"Traditional means of encrypting such a key use mathematical functions that
are difficult -- but not impossible -- to undo."
wow :-)
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