Re: Simple way to use PKI for larger data sets

[Bernhard Froehlich]

snacktime wrote:

[...] I could generate a
random key for each request, encyrpt it, and stick it in the database
with the request, but I was hoping for a simpler solution.  Are there
any asymmetric ciphers in openssl that don't have the same limitation
on the amount of data that can be encrypted?  The data still isn't
that large, probably 20 times the key size at most, so I don't think
performance would be an issue, or would it?

The other way would be to encrypt your data in packets which are equal to the key size (like it is done with most symmetric protocols), but you indeed may run into performance problems. Usually the hybrid way of combining symmetric and asymertic ciphers is used because of performance reasons.

Hope it helps.
Ted
;)

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And just to straighten out terminology: what you are talking about has nothing to do with PKI (Public Key Infrastrucure)... ;)

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