Bit Commitment

Article View: sci.crypt

Article #2955

#2955

From: Bruce Schneier
Date: Fri, 08 Jan 1993 00:28

12 lines
830 bytes

Bit commitment is an easy protocol.  Alice commits to a bit (or a series
of bits) in such a way that Bob does not know what the bits are until Alice
tells him, and Alice cannot change her bits once she has commited to them.

What I am looking for is a real-world example of where this protocol would
be useful (besides magic tricks).  It can be a computer example, or it could
be a non-tech example.  Useful is good.  Interesting is better.  Humorous
is best.

Any suggestions?

Bruce

Technical Details

Message-ID: <C0IEo4.3pB@chinet.chi.il.us>

Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!uwm.edu!linac!uchinews!machine!chinet!schneier

Show Full Headers

Complete Article Headers

Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!uwm.edu!linac!uchinews!machine!chinet!schneier
From: schneier@chinet.chi.il.us (Bruce Schneier)
Subject: Bit Commitment
Message-ID: <C0IEo4.3pB@chinet.chi.il.us>
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 00:28:51 GMT
Lines: 12