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Linux Kernel 4.17 saw the inclusion of NSA's 'controversial' encryption algorithm Speck. Linux Kernel 4.18 will see Speck being available as a supported algorithm with fscrypt and not everyone is happy about it.
Before you panic or form wrong conclusions, you should know that Speck is not a backdoor. It's just a not-so-strong encryption algorithm from American agency NSA and it's available as a module in Linux Kernel.
The algorithm in question, Speck, is a 'weak' encryption (lightweight block cipher) designed for devices with low computing powers i.e., IoT devices.
NSA wanted Speck and its companion algorithm Simon to become a global standard for next generation of internet-of-things gizmos and sensors.
NSA tried to aggressively push this algorithm to an extent that some cryptographer alleged bullying and harassment at the hands of NSA.
The problem with the algorithm is that the International Organization of Standards (ISO) rejected Speck and Simon.
Google engineer Eric Biggers requested the inclusion of Speck in Kernel 4.17 because Google is going to provide Speck as an option for dm-crypt and fscrypt on Android.
The focus is on providing encryption on Android Go, an Android version tailored to run on entry-level smartphones. As of today, these devices are not encrypted because AES is not fast enough for the low-end devices.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Friday August 10 2018, @05:43PM (3 children)
In late 2002 I implemented AES about the Oxford Semiconductor OXFW911 IDE/Firewire bridge chip. At the time the 911 was popular for external Firewire drive enclosures.
I used a hand-tuned blend of ARM and Thumb assembler. The controller on the 911 was a 49 MHz ARM7TDMI. I also copied the crypto from the slow 16-bit flash to the fast 32-bit RAM.
It worked well enough that it was a huge hit at the 2003 MacWorld Expo. James Wiebe was very pleased because it got Wiebetech lots of press.
But it never went fast enough that I could play a movie from an encrypted volume.
James later sold the company to his direct competitor CRU. CRU Wiebetech [cru-inc.com] now sells enclosures with true hardware encryption.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Friday August 10 2018, @11:18PM (1 child)
Oh, would a nice FPGA (lattice, xilinx, etc.) have done the trick?
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Saturday August 11 2018, @04:17AM
All the work I did for James was aimed at creating new kinds of products without changing the actual hardware.
Get This:
James Wiebe made bank as a result of my removing from the 911, 912 and 922 firmware their abilities to write to the storage media. I'm talking #if 0'ing three lines of code.
The Wiebetech Forensic Storage products did then and still do sell like hotcakes: if you image a suspect's drive with a Wiebetech Forensic Storage Adapter, the original drive is still admissible in court, because you could not possibly have altered the data on it.
They're also popular with all the spy agencies. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that a Wiebetech Forensic Storage Adapter was used to image Usama ben Laden's disks.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by sjames on Sunday August 12 2018, @11:50PM
Of course these days, it's not hard to find a fast enough ARM and many SOC have hardware AES baked in.
Considering how much easier it is to get a low cost ARM with more than enough power for real crypto now, I have real questions about the NSA's motives.