Cryptography Resources
Last Updated: 24 February 2001
"As more and more companies connect to the Internet, and as more and more commerce takes place there, security is becoming more and more critical. Cryptography is the most powerful single tool that users can use to secure the Internet. Knowingly making that tool weaker threatens their ability to do so, and has no proven benefit."
Links to various resources providing additional information on various aspects of cryptography technology and politics.
- Cryptography Technical Information
- Digital Cash
- Digital Signature Authentication
- Crypto Politics
- Legal Resources
- Privacy Issues
- PGP
Crypto Technical Information
Robert Flowers' Crypto-Log - The Internet Guide to Cryptography This is a huge resource of links to crypto reference material.
Tatu Ylönen's International Cryptography page. International sources of cryptographic software, information on cryptographic methods, algorithms, and protocols.
Peter Gutmann's Cryptlib software library. Cryptlib provides an easy way to add strong encryption and authentication to new or existing software, supporting DES, triple DES, IDEA, and Diffie-Hellman and RSA public-key encryption amongst others.
Quadralay Cryptography archive
The crypto link farm compiled by Peter Gutmann contains a large collection of links to other security, privacy, and encryption-related sites.
Cyberlinks Computer Security page
RSA FAQ. Answers to many common questions about Cryptography.
Yahoo Indexes for Cryptography
Cypherpunks archive index - an archive of postings to the Cypherpunks mailing list.
Cryptography: Privacy vs. Surveillance - Robin Whittle's summary of crypto issues, including a tutorial on public-key cryptography.
Intl. Assoc. of Cryptologic Research (IACR) archives. Mainly information about conferences.
Lawrie's Cryptography Bibliography. This is a search tool based on a bibliography containing about 800 (mainly offline) articles on various aspects of Cryptography and Computer Security.
The most widely quoted general textbook reference on Cryptography is Applied Cryptography by Bruce Schneier, 2nd Edition 1996 (Wiley). See Prof. Dr. Klaus Pommerening's list of where to find the source code listings from the Schneier's disks. These disks were released with the book in the USA but were not permitted to be exported, despite the fact that the listings were printed in the text of the book. An Alternative site. is also available.
Digital Cash
Information about Digicash and E-cash - the new concept in electronic payment systems.
Secure Electronic Transactions Specification (SET) Mastercard pilot project.
Visa information on the SET specification.
The PayMe Protocol - A paper presented at the 4th International World Wide Web Conference in Boston, Dec.11th-14th 1995.
Payment mechanisms designed for the Internet - a good source of information and links on digital cash.
E-cash in Australia - Advance Bank
Computer Money Day 1997 - Monetary Systems Engineering Group, The University of Newcastle.
Electronic Commerce Australia (ECA) - a major forum the promotion and co-ordination of Electronic Commerce initiatives in Australia.
The Unintended Consequences of E-Cash - A position paper by Michael Froomkin.
The Monster from the Crypt: Impacts and Effects of Digital Money - Roger Clarke
Net-Based Payment Schemes - another useful summary of electronic commerce issues.
Digital Signature Authentication
Security of the Government Information Infrastructure - Steve Orlowski, Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department, Australia. Viewpoints on digital signatures and public key authentication.
DR 96078 - Strategies for the Implementation of a Public key Authentication Framework in Australia. Draft Australian Standard.
EFA's response to the DR96078 proposed Australian standard.
Crypto Politics
Refer to the EFA Crypto Politics page for references on this topic.
Legal Resources
US Crypto Export Control Archives
The Australian position on cryptographic export controls can be found in the Customs (Prohibited Exports Regulations) - Schedule 13 with actual details in Australian Controls on the Export of Defence and Strategic Goods. Crypto software comes under Part 3, Category 5/2 of these regulations. (These documents are in MS Word format).
Privacy Issues
PLPR's Australian Privacy Guide
Cryptography Patents
Some of the key US patents in this field have now entered the public domain. These patents apply only in the USA.
The main patents are:
| Name | Number | Filed | Issued | Expired |
| Diffie-Hellman | 4,200,770 | Sept. 6, 1977 | Apr. 29, 1980 | Sept. 6, 1997 |
| Hellman-Merkle | 4,218,582 | Oct. 6, 1977 | Aug. 19, 1980 | Oct. 6, 1997 |
| RSA | 4,405,829 | Dec. 14, 1977 | Sept. 20, 1983 | Sept. 20, 2000 |
Other Patent References:
CNIDR Patent site
US Patent Law and GATT
PGP
Cryptography, PGP and Your Privacy
The International PGP Home Page - PGP source for non-US residents.
MIT PGP site - PGP source for US residents only.
See the EFA PGP page for further references.
