As quantum computing progresses, information-theoretic security ensures that data remains unconditionally secure even against the threats posed by quantum computing.
Preparing for the Quantum Era
Traditional cryptographic systems that underpin digital security today are largely based on computational security assumptions. However, with the advent of quantum computers, these assumptions may no longer hold. To achieve true quantum readiness, organizations must understand the fundamental differences between computational security and information-theoretic security.
This blog describes these two security paradigms used by Darkstrike™, their strengths and weaknesses, how they apply in the context of quantum-readiness, and how Darkstrike™ improves traditional security models using its proprietary data reconstruction and replication engine to enhance security and commercial viability of information-theoretic security.
Understanding Computational Security
Computational security, also known as complexity-theoretic security, relies on the assumption that certain mathematical problems are hard to solve within a reasonable amount of time. This concept is the foundation of most modern cryptographic protocols, including RSA, ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography), AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), and most of the NIST-approved post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms (e.g. Kyber, Dilithium, Falcon, SPHINCS+, etc).
Key Principles of Computational Security
- Hard Problems: Encryption schemes are based on problems such as integer factorization (RSA), discrete logarithms (ECC), and lattice-based computations (post-quantum cryptography).
- Computational Effort: The security of these systems is measured in terms of the time and resources required to break them.
- Assumed Infeasibility: Breaking an encryption scheme should take longer than the expected lifetime of the data it protects.
Vulnerability to Quantum Computing
With the emergence of quantum computing, computational security faces significant challenges. Shor’s algorithm, for instance, can efficiently solve integer factorization and discrete logarithm problems, rendering RSA and ECC insecure. Grover’s algorithm can also reduce the effective key length of symmetric encryption schemes like AES, making brute-force attacks more feasible.
While post-quantum cryptography (PQC) aims to mitigate these risks using lattice-based, multivariate polynomial, hash-based, code-based, or isogeny-based cryptography, these methods still rely on computational assumptions and are not quantum-secure against a computationally unbounded adversary, but rather quantum-resistant against a computationally bounded adversary.
Understanding Information-Theoretic Security
Unlike computational security, information-theoretic security does not rely on computational assumptions. Instead, it ensures that an adversary cannot decrypt a message even with unlimited computational power. The One-Time Pad (OTP) is a prime example of information-theoretic security.
Key Principles of Information-Theoretic Security
- Absolute Security: The security is not dependent on the attacker’s computational power.
- Unbreakability: Encryption schemes like OTP remain secure under any attack, provided certain conditions are met.
- Perfect Forward Secrecy: The security does not degrade over time, regardless of future advancements in computing power.
Challenges of Information-Theoretic Security
Despite its strength, traditional information-theoretic security presents several practical challenges:
- Key Management: OTP requires a key as long as the message, which must be truly random and never reused.
- Storage & Distribution: Securely distributing and storing keys at scale is a significant challenge.
- Implementation Complexity: Maintaining the integrity of the system without compromising security requires strict adherence to protocol rules.
How Darkstrike™ Enhances Information-Theoretic Security
Darkstrike™ significantly improves traditional information-theoretic models by leveraging its proprietary data restructuring and replication engine to enhance encryption integrity, security, and efficiency. Our proprietary engine restructures data before encryption, ensuring that attempts to reconstruct the data fail without complete system integrity. This innovation addresses the main limitations of OTP encryption:
- Optimized Key Usage: By restructuring data before encryption, Darkstrike™ enables more efficient use of OTP keys while preserving the unbreakable security principles of information-theoretic encryption.
- Enhanced Parallel Processing: Our proprietary engine enables simultaneous encryption operations, significantly reducing computational overhead and improving scalability.
- Improved Key Distribution Security: The restructured data ensures that even if individual keys are compromised, they cannot be used to reconstruct the original information without full system integrity.
- Ransomware and Attack Resistance: Unauthorized attempts to access data become infeasible, making Darkstrike™ resistant to data exfiltration and encryption-based attacks.
Computational vs. Information-Theoretic Security in a Quantum Context
As quantum computing progresses, organizations must reassess their security models. Here’s how Darkstrike’s™ enhanced information-theoretic security compares to traditional models:
| Feature | Computational Security | Traditional Information-Theoretic Security | Darkstrike™ Information-Theoretic Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Assumption | Based on problem complexity | Independent of computational power | Independent of computational power |
| Quantum Resistance | At risk from quantum attacks | Quantum-safe under proper conditions | Quantum-safe with enhanced integrity |
| Key Management | Smaller, reusable keys | Large, one-time-use keys | More efficient key management with restructuring |
| Scalability | High | Challenging due to key size | Improved scalability through optimized processing |
| Longevity | Dependent on computational advances | Perpetually secure | Perpetually secure with resilience to data loss |
| Practicality | Widely implemented | Difficult to deploy at scale | Commercially viable due to structural optimization |
For most commercial applications, computational security is the more practical approach. However, for highly sensitive communications, Darkstrike’s™ enhanced information-theoretic security offers an unmatched level of protection.
The Path to Quantum Readiness
To prepare for a post-quantum future, organizations should adopt a hybrid security model that integrates both computational and information-theoretic security. Some key strategies include:
- Implementing Post-Quantum Cryptography: Transitioning to PQC algorithms such as CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium can help reduce quantum threats.
- Leveraging Data Restructuring in Encryption: Restructuring data before encryption enhances security and optimizes key requirements for OTP implementation.
- Adopting Hybrid Models: Combining information-theoretic security with PQC offers the best balance between scalability and absolute security.
- Investing in True Quantum Cryptography: Utilizing Darkstrike’s™ proprietary Quantum Key Generation (QKG) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) can enhance the secure generation exchange of cryptographic keys.
- Ensuring Zero-Trust Architectures: Applying strict authentication and verification measures minimizes the risk of unauthorized access.
Summary
As the quantum era approaches, the limitations of traditional computational security become more apparent. While post-quantum cryptography provides a necessary layer of defense, information-theoretic security remains the only truly unbreakable method. By integrating our proprietary data restructuring and replication engine into your encryption model, Darkstrike™ eliminates traditional limitations and makes OTP commercially viable.
The future of encryption involves a combination of computational security and Darkstrike’s™ optimized information-theoretic approach, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected against both current and emerging threats.
