Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 12:44:45 +1100 From: Norberto Meijome <freebsd@meijome.net> To: Iang <iang@iang.org> Cc: freebsd-security@freebsd.org, Colin Percival <cperciva@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: MD5 Collisions... Message-ID: <20071205124445.792e8fd5@meijome.net> In-Reply-To: <47554B7B.90803@iang.org> References: <20071203154412.461d0faf@meijome.net> <4754D6C2.3030005@freebsd.org> <47554B7B.90803@iang.org>
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On Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:43:39 +0100
Iang <iang@iang.org> wrote:
> Perhaps, 1st two paras:
>
>
> ==============
> Md5 is a cryptographic message digest algorithm. It takes
> as input a message of arbitrary length and produces as
> output a 128-bit ``fingerprint'' or ``digest'' of the input.
> Such algorithms are intended for applications where a
> large file must be ``compressed'' in a secure manner,
> suitable as a digital signature or as an input to a
> public-key cryptosystem for digital signature or encryption
> purposes.
>
> MD5 is no longer recommended as a cryptographic message
> digest algorithm, although it functions very well as a big
> checksum. It is now feasible (2004) to produce two messages
> having the same MD5 message digest (``collision'' attack),
> and attacks of this nature are getting better and faster.
> It is still conjectured to be computationally infeasible
> (2007) to produce any message having a given prespecified
> target message digest (``preimage'' attack).
> ==============
>
>
>
> It's worth checking carefully ... discussing the minutiae of
> cryptographic algorithms is like angels dancing on a pin.
thanks Iang - looks good to me.
btw, i just checked man 3 md5 , and it may need updating - it refers to 1999..
"
MD5 has not yet (1999-02-11) been broken, but sufficient attacks
have been made that its security is in some doubt....
"
B
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