|
DES is History
Anonymous
OSAll Staff
"'The PPP DES Encryption Protocol' [RFC-2419], 'The ESP DES-CBC Cipher Algorithm With Explicit IV' [RFC-2405], and 'The ESP DES-CBC
Transform' [RFC-1829] have been re-classified to Historic status, and
implementation is Not Recommended."
The DES encryption protocol has been relegated to Historic status. DES is, of course, the encryption system which has been broken several times by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Shortly after breaking DES for the first time, the EFF released a book entitled Cracking DES which detailed the procedures for breaking the encryption algorithm.
After DES was cracked -- and even worse, instructions published -- it was obvious the algorithm was no longer safe. In the first step towards removing DES from active service, an Internet Draft has been issued classifying DES as Historic (retired) and saying that implementation of the algorithm is not recommended.
An Internet Draft is one of the first steps in making a recommendation concrete. After Internet Drafts are issued, they are reviewed and (usually) eventually turned into Requests For Comments.
Assuming the DES recommendation is approved, the algorithm will no longer be used in new implementations -- and hopefully not grandfathered in old technology.
DES has, in the past, been used to protect such critical infrastructure as bank accounts and other financial applications. |
