May the Cipher be with you

NB: I know that implementing cryptographic algorithms yourself is dangerous. There are many implementation problems people won't think about, like memory management. I just wanted to talk about the CipherSaber because I think it's an old, yet neat project. I think it's important to sensitize people about cryptography and the regulations around its usage. If you want to use cryptography to protect your privacy, I suggest you look at a more serious project like PGP.

A few months ago, while checking my RSS feeds, I saw this discussion on Reddit. Since I love cryptography and FLOSS, I looked at the comment section, to see what kind of answers were posted.

One comment caught my attention:

What intrigued me was the idea of creating your own "something" (plus, the "something" had a really cool name), and I also like the fact that I could start right away.

So, I went to the CipherSaber web page, to see what's what. And, being the privacy advocate that I am, I was not disappointed. The CipherSaber is a form of protest against US ban on cryptography.

It was written after 9/11, when the US government wanted to limit the use/publication of cryptography, in order to prevent the terrorists from using it. It's, of course, a ridiculous idea, since the crypto is already out there, and anybody can use it, even the terrorists: it's a little too late to try to prevent cryptography export. Plus, as stated in the CipherSaber web page, nothing would prevent terrorists to send some of their members to US universities to learn cryptography, as they do to learn chemistry, nuclear engineering etc.

As my good friend (okay, we've never met, but still, he has a point) Philip Zimmermann said:

If privacy is outlawed, only outlaws will have privacy.

The idea behind the CipherSaber, is to have everyone implementing a strong crypto algorithm, so that people don't rely on products that can be banned. The chosen algorithm is the stream cipher RC4, because it's strong, and easy to implement (see CipherSaber-2 in the web page to correct a known vulnerability in RC4). The name CipherSaber comes from Star Wars, because every Jedi knight has to build its own light saber, just like every CipherKnight should implement its own CipherSaber.

I know I'm not from the US, and I know this web page was written ten years ago, but I like the idea of being a part of some community, and Internet ban concern everyone. That's why I've decided to revamp the CipherKnight's certificate (the old one, in addition to being hard to find, is too directed towards Americans).

All you have to do to get your certificate is to enter your name, click the button, and decipher it using your own CipherSaber (the encryption key is AlanTuring).

Name:

If you're old school, you can get the former CipherKnight's certificate here (the encryption key is ThomasJefferson).

So go ahead, forge your own CipherSaber, print out your certificate, and spread the word.

May the Cipher be with you.