[x]Blackmoor Vituperative

Monday, 2009-06-22

Kerckhoffs’ Principles

Filed under: Privacy,Security — bblackmoor @ 16:03

Many cryptographers and other security experts are familiar with what has come to be known as Kerckhoffs’ Principle. Many, however, do not know that there are actually six such principles. The core ideas of these principles are still relevant today, more than 125 years after he first articulated them.

  1. The system should be, if not theoretically unbreakable, unbreakable in practice.
  2. The design of a system should not require secrecy and compromise of the system should not inconvenience the correspondents (Kerckhoffs’ principle).
  3. The key should be memorable without notes and should be easily changeable.
  4. The cryptograms should be transmittable by telegraph.
  5. The apparatus or documents should be portable and operable by a single person.
  6. The system should be easy, neither requiring knowledge of a long list of rules nor involving mental strain.

(from Six principles of practical ciphers, TechRepublic)