IBM claims encryption breakthrough

IBM has developed a way to perform software encryption and authentication simultaneously, which it claims is twice as fast as today's methods.

The unnamed security algorithm encrypts and authenticates messages simultaneously with the same secret key, or mathematical code, that it uses to encrypt and decrypt. Previous approaches to ensure secure communications required performing encryption and authentication in separate steps.

Charles Palmer, manager of network security and cryptography at IBM research, said encryption and authentication will continue to be the core building blocks for securing internet communications and computer systems. "But by combining the two steps, this security algorithm will help accelerate ebusiness," he said.

The algorithm will also be useful with parallel processors, as the work is spread among multiple processors for even greater speed improvement.

Today's encryption is safe and secure, said Palmer, noting that even on small devices, such as mobile phones, users might have to wait a few seconds to encrypt. "If you can cut that time in half, then you don't need as big a [processor] on that device," he said.

Palmer believes switch and router manufacturers will embrace the technology, as well as large disk array suppliers. IBM also expects the algorithm to be used in fibre optic networks and several ebusiness applications.

According to Palmer, more than one million businesses and one billion people will be connected by about a trillion mobile and embedded devices, making fast and efficient security more critical than ever.

"Instead of 1Gb flying around on the internet, there will be multi-gigabytes and terabytes," he said.

IBM has submitted the algorithm to the National Institute of Standards as a standard for securing communications.