Re: What are the chances of this encrytion being broken?

On 24/03/2025 12:51 Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> wrote:

On 24/03/2025 11:32, The Running Man wrote:

On 24/03/2025 06:21 Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> wrote:

On 24/03/2025 04:51, The Running Man wrote:

On 23/03/2025 05:14 hal@invalid.com wrote:

What are the chances that the encrypted text in this message could be
broken?
>
No one knows what program made the file. It's 256 bit encryption.
>
How would a encryption expert go about attempting to decrypt the
message?
>
The password is a dozen words, many mispelled, plus punctuation;.
>
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
.

>
I'd say the chances are close to zero.

>
Unless it matters, in which case the probability rises to near
certainty.
>

 
Nonsense. Even the NSA has admitted they can't break
AES-256.

 
(a) What makes you think the above ciphertext is AES-256?
 
(b) If the NSA cares enough to try, they'll crack it using side
channels (e.g. rubber hose).
 
(c) In 700-odd bytes of ciphertext, only 65 distinct values
appear, one of them 19 times. AES my arse. This is a home-grown
algorithm, and not a particularly good one. All it'll take is for
someone with enough time to care enough.
 

Homegrown stuff doesn't apply. Anyone with half a brain
would use vetted ciphers.

Rubber hosing isn't breaking encryption.