On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 2:08 PM, Steven D'Aprano <st...@remove-this-cybersource.com.au> wrote: > On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:28:49 -0500, geremy condra wrote: > >> Steven, remember a few weeks ago when you tried to explain to me that >> the person who was storing windows administrative passwords using a 40 >> byte xor cipher with the hardcoded password might not be doing something >> stupid because I didn't know what their threat model was? Yeah- what you >> just said is what I was trying to explain then. > > No, I'm sure that wasn't me... perhaps some other Steven D'Aprano... from > the Evil Dimension... > > *wink*
I think I saw a mustache on him. Probably evil. > Seriously, I'm not sure if I knew that the person was storing Windows > admin passwords at the time. If I had, I probably would have agreed with > you. But using a 40 byte xor cipher to obfuscate some strings in a game > is perfectly valid -- not every locked box needs to be a safe with 18 > inch tempered steel walls. Granted, and I am going to be able to give a very nice talk on how not to do cryptography partially as a result of that particularly egregious bit of silliness, so I guess I can't complain too much. > I can only repeat what I said to Daniel: can you guarantee that the nice > safe, low-risk environment will never change? If not, then choose a more > realistic threat model, and build the walls of your locked box > accordingly. Or, plan on becoming part of one of my presentations in a few years. Either way works for me. Geremy Condra -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
