> On Oct 6, 2015, at 10:52 AM, Rich Pieri <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> The problem isn't encryption or lack thereof. The problem is that the way we 
> handle authentication is fundamentally broken. Centralized authentication is 
> literally an all eggs in one basket deal. Steal the basket and you get all 
> the eggs.

You are describing one specific approach, not all authentication systems have 
the problem you outline. 

> The problem is compounded by a bass-ackwards verification system. X.509 was 
> designed for identifying individual users to a group of services -- that is, 
> many users to a few centralized services. SSL and TLS do it backwards, 
> identifying a few centralized services to many users. It requires blind trust 
> that a few centralized authorities have not been compromise, have not had 
> their baskets of eggs stolen from them.
> 
> The problem is further compounded by the belief that encrypting everything 
> will save the world and make everything better. It won't. Encrypting a broken 
> authentication system and a bass-ackwards verification system will not make 
> them any less broken and bass-ackwards.

It may not make everything better - but you will can cut down on the MiTM and 
increase the noise. Increasing the noise will go along way to make an 
adversaries job more difficult.

Anthony
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