RESEARCH: Cryptographic algorithms and libraries - glenw921/TripleCrypt GitHub Wiki

Do research to determine which algorithms to use for which purposes, and how to implement their use in JavaScript with trusted FOSS libraries.

============ Dialog with MS Copilot on this topic ============

I SAID:

Give me the pros, cons, and comparisons, of AES, Twofish, and ChaCha20. I'm particularly interested in strength, speed, vulnerabilities, and resistance to future technological advances in computing and code breaking.

COPILOT SAID:

Sure! Let’s compare AES, Twofish, and ChaCha20 based on strength, speed, vulnerabilities, and resistance to future technological advances:

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) -

Strength:

Highly Secure: AES is widely regarded as one of the most secure encryption algorithms. It uses key sizes of 128, 192, or 256 bits, making it resistant to brute-force attacks 1. Adopted Standard: It is the encryption standard used by the U.S. government and many organizations worldwide 2.

Speed:

Efficient: AES is known for its fast encryption and decryption processes, especially when implemented in hardware 3.

Vulnerabilities:

Side-Channel Attacks: AES can be vulnerable to side-channel attacks if not implemented correctly 4. Key Management: Proper key management is crucial; if keys are not handled securely, the encryption can be compromised 5.

Resistance to Future Technological Advances:

Quantum Resistance: AES is not inherently resistant to quantum attacks. Quantum computers could potentially break AES encryption using Grover’s algorithm, but this would still require a significant amount of quantum resources 6.

Twofish -

Strength:

Strong Security: Twofish is considered highly secure and has withstood extensive cryptanalysis 7. Flexible Key Lengths: It supports variable key lengths up to 256 bits, providing robust security 8.

Speed:

Moderate Speed: Twofish is generally slower than AES, especially in software implementations 9.

Vulnerabilities:

Side-Channel Attacks: Like AES, Twofish can be vulnerable to side-channel attacks if not implemented correctly 9. Complex Implementation: Implementing Twofish correctly can be challenging, which may introduce vulnerabilities 9.

Resistance to Future Technological Advances:

Quantum Resistance: Similar to AES, Twofish is not inherently resistant to quantum attacks. It would also be vulnerable to quantum computing advances 9.

ChaCha20 -

Strength:

High Security: ChaCha20 is considered very secure and has been extensively analyzed by the cryptographic community 10. Simplicity: It is designed to be simple and easy to implement, reducing the risk of implementation errors 10.

Speed:

Fast: ChaCha20 is known for its high speed, especially in software implementations. It is often faster than AES on platforms without hardware acceleration 10.

Vulnerabilities:

Limited Known Vulnerabilities: ChaCha20 has no significant known weaknesses and is resistant to various forms of cryptanalysis 10.

Resistance to Future Technological Advances:

Quantum Resistance: Like AES and Twofish, ChaCha20 is not inherently resistant to quantum attacks. However, its simplicity and speed make it a strong candidate for future cryptographic standards 10. Comparison Summary Strength: All three algorithms are highly secure, but AES is the most widely adopted standard. Speed: ChaCha20 is generally the fastest, especially in software implementations, followed by AES and then Twofish. Vulnerabilities: All three algorithms can be vulnerable to side-channel attacks if not implemented correctly. ChaCha20 has the fewest known vulnerabilities. Resistance to Future Technological Advances: None of the algorithms are inherently resistant to quantum attacks, but they all provide strong security against current threats. If you have any further questions or need more details, feel free to ask!

I SAID:

Which cryptographic algorithms show the greatest resistance to quantum attacks?

COPILOT SAID:

The field of post-quantum cryptography is actively developing algorithms designed to resist attacks from quantum computers. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently announced the first group of quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms 1 2. Here are some of the most promising ones:

CRYSTALS-Kyber: Designed for general encryption purposes, such as creating secure websites. It is based on structured lattices, which are believed to be resistant to quantum attacks 1 2.

CRYSTALS-Dilithium: Used for digital signatures, ensuring the authenticity of signed documents. It also relies on structured lattices 1 2.

FALCON: Another digital signature algorithm, known for its efficiency and security 2.

SPHINCS+: A stateless hash-based signature scheme that provides strong security guarantees 1.

These algorithms are part of NIST’s post-quantum cryptographic standardization project and are expected to be finalized in the coming years 1 2.

If you have any specific questions about these algorithms or need more details, feel free to ask!

I SAID:

Tell me more about CRYSTALS-Kyber for use in JavaScript web apps.

COPILOT SAID:

CRYSTALS-Kyber -

Strengths:

Security: CRYSTALS-Kyber is based on structured lattices, which are believed to be resistant to quantum attacks 1. Performance: It offers good all-around performance and efficiency, making it suitable for a wide range of applications 2. Key Sizes: Kyber has relatively small key sizes, which makes it efficient in terms of storage and transmission 3.

Weaknesses:

Complexity: While Kyber is efficient, its implementation can be complex, requiring careful handling to avoid potential vulnerabilities 2.

Availability for JavaScript:

FOSS Libraries: There are several FOSS implementations of CRYSTALS-Kyber available for JavaScript, including: crystals-kyber-javascript : A JavaScript implementation intended for client-side web browser applications and server-side backends in Node.js frameworks 4. crystals-kyber-js : A TypeScript implementation available on various JavaScript runtimes, including Browsers, Node.js, Deno, and Cloudflare Workers 5.