Cryptographic Attacks

Question 1

What is a Cryptographic Attack?

Answer 1

• Techniques and strategies that adversaries employ to exploit vulnerabilities in cryptographic systems with the intent to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of data

Question 2

Downgrade Attack

Answer 2

• Aims to force a system into using a weaker or older cryptographic standard or protocol than what it’s currently utilizing

1. Two systems (like your browser and a server) begin negotiating which encryption protocol to use
2. The attacker intercepts this negotiation process
3. The attacker modifies the messages to make it appear that one or both parties only support older, weaker encryption
4. Both parties then “agree” to use the weaker protocol, thinking it’s the best they both support

5.The attacker can now more easily break the weaker encryption and intercept or modify the communication

Question 3

Why are downgrade attacks so dangerous?

Answer 3

• They turn the very nature of evolving security, such as the development of stronger, more robust cryptographic protocols, against itself

Question 4

Collision Attack

Answer 4

• Aims to find two different inputs that produce the same hash output

Question 5

What is the core concept of the “Birthday paradox” or “Birthday Attack”?

Answer 5

• In a group of just 23 people, theres a better than even chance that two of them share the same birthday
• Thus, The probability that two distinct inputs, when processed through a hashing function, will produce the same output, or a collision

Question 6

What is quantum computing?

Answer 6

• A computer that uses quantum mechanics to generate and manipulate quantum bits (qubits) in order to access enormous processing powers

Question 7

Instead of using “1’s” and “0’s” like traditional computers, what do quantum computers use?

Answer 7

• Quantum bits, or qubits

Question 8

Quantum Communication

Answer 8

• A communications network that relies on qubits made of photons (another word for light) to send multiple combinations of ones and zeros simultaneously which results in tamper resistant and extremley fast communications

Question 9

Qubit

Answer 9

• A quantum bit composed of electrons or photons that can represent numerous combinations of ones and zeroes at the same time through superposition