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> cryptographic enclaves are at best an analgesic and sedative Cryptographic enclaves let you securely use passwords that are otherwise very easy to break. Fo
by miki123211 2y ago
> cryptographic enclaves are at best an analgesic and sedative
Cryptographic enclaves let you securely use passwords that are otherwise very easy to break.
For example, a random 4-digit pin can be broken in seconds, minutes at most, even with really strong PKDF functions.
With a cryptographic enclave that destroys your key after 10 unsuccessful attempts, attackers only have a 0.1% chance of breaking that PIN. This is an acceptable security level for many users.
In theory, better security than that is possible by using a complex passphrase. In practice, the passphrase ends up being "exampleDotOrgWinter25!", which is still very easy to brute force.
For many users, that random 4-digit PIN plus an enclave will end up being more secure than the long and complex password.
- nonrandomstring 2y agoLocal-only memory (say readable only from a certain CPU security ring and securely erasable in an atomic operation) is a useful tool for methods such as you describe. What I'm shooting at is private memory under cryptographic control of a remote networked entity. I should more properly have said "remotely secured enclave" or something like that. I think in this area it's hard to be precise amidst confusion about who does the encryption, who generates and keeps the private keys, and what power that affords them.