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Article #3349

bitwise exclusive-or

#3349
From: Mitchell Wyle
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1987 21:44
24 lines
1644 bytes
An unnamed organization uses the following paradigm to pass secure
information electronically:

Random bits, generated from a radioactive source and calibrated counter
are collected, and distributed by courier to remote sites.

Messages are encoded via bit-wise exclusive-or, and transmitted via
non-secure telecommunications.  The destinations use the courier-provided 
random bits from the key tape to decode the messages.  Each bit is
discarded after use.  Every few months, a new tape is sent by courier.
They will, of course, move to optical disk soon to decrease courier
trips, and allow for increased bandwidth.

How is the system flawed?  Is it unbreakable?  Couldn't companies
implement this strategy cost-effectively?

-- 
                      M i t c h e l l     F     W y l e

    EEEEE TTTTTT H   H  Eidgenoessische      | wyle%ifi.ethz.chunet@csnet-relay
   E       T    H   H  Technische Hochschule | wyle@ethz.uucp
  EEEE    T    HHHHH  Zuerich                | ...!cernvax!ethz!wyle
 E       T    H   H  Institut fuer Informatik| Telephone: 011 41 1 256 5235 
EEEEE   T    H   H  8092 Zuerich, Switzerland| "Ignore alien orders"
Technical Details
Message-ID: <434@ethz.UUCP>
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!mnetor!seismo!mcvax!cernvax!ethz!wyle

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Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!mnetor!seismo!mcvax!cernvax!ethz!wyle
From: wyle@ethz.UUCP (Mitchell Wyle)
Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Subject: bitwise exclusive-or
Message-ID: <434@ethz.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 22-Jan-87 16:44:36 EST
Article-I.D.: ethz.434
Posted: Thu Jan 22 16:44:36 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Jan-87 00:46:37 EST
Reply-To: wyle@ethz.UUCP
Organization: CS Department, ETH Zuerich, Switzerland
Lines: 24
Keywords: xor