Cryptography

What’s the right way to generate an encryption key from a secret? Well, with TLS 1.3, the right way is to use HKDF. So, let’s look at HMAC and HKDF. HMAC HMAC (hash-based message authentication code) supports the usage of a key to hash data. This key is kept secret between…

Let’s talk about password hashing. Whenever I review code, I’m always surpised to see that many developers still hash secrets with SHA-1 or SHA-256 to generate encryption keys or to store passwords. Overall, these hashing methods are fast, and are thus prone to brute force analysis with GPU cracking. In…

Commit Zero-Trust Integrity And Authenticity — We should list packages (especially open source to be able to pinpoint risky supply chains). We can do this by committing how they are linked and related to a Merkle tree. Most people have a misconception that if the app or source code is available on the official site or…

For the first time in my life, I drive an automatic car. It changes gear for me and puts the brake on when I stop. It’s great, but I worry. With a handbrake, I knew I had almost complete control of the car. But, now, I sit in the car…

We are excited to announce the official release of the Elusiv SDK (in public beta) on Solana. As the first fully open-source, privacy-centric SDK on Solana mainnet, it will give developers access to various privacy features that can be easily integrated into new and existing applications. Since privacy is a…

What if generative AI destroys biometric security? https://www.economist.com/biometrics-pod Biometrics, which is probabilistic by nature, could not have provided any significant identity security in the first place, meaning that biometrics did not have to wait for the arrival of AI to get its security destroyed. The content of this podcast from…

When both of them are lattice-based methods and Dilithium is so much faster — And, so, NIST selected Dilithium for quantum robust digital signatures. But, they are also taking forward FALCON and SPHINCS+. While SPHINCS+ is a hash-based signature method, FALCON is a lattice method such as Dilithium. Why did NIST pick two lattice methods? Well, first we will analyse why Dilithium was selected…

One name stands out above the rest in the realm of digital currencies: bitcoin. This ground-breaking cryptocurrency, which was introduced in 2008, has completely changed the way we think about money and transactions. …

Table of Contents Introduction What is Cryptography? The Pillars of Cryptography in Cryptocurrencies Hash Functions Digital Signatures Public-Key Cryptography Cryptography in Action: A Bitcoin Transaction Example Conclusion Introduction Cryptocurrencies have gained enormous popularity over the past decade, transforming the way we think about money and financial transactions. At the core of this revolution is cryptography…