Question 105 - 212-81 discussion

Blowfish

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowfish_(cipher)

Blowfish is a symmetric-key block cipher, designed in 1993 by Bruce Schneier and included in many cipher suites and encryption products. Blowfish provides a good encryption rate in software and no effective cryptanalysis of it has been found to date. However, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) now receives more attention, and Schneier recommends Twofish for modern applications.

Blowfish has a 64-bit block size and a variable key length from 32 bits up to 448 bits. It is a 16-round Feistel cipher and uses large key-dependent S-boxes.

Incorrect answers:

Skipjack - symmetric algorithm. Designed by NSA for the clipper chip - a chip with built in encryption. The decryption key was kept in key escrow in case law enforcement needed to decrypt data without the owner's cooperation, making it highly controversial. Uses an 80 bit key to encrypt/decrypt 64 bit data blocks. It is an unbalanced Feistel network with 32 rounds.

Serpent - symmetric algorithm. Designed by Ross Anderson, Eli Biham, and Lars Knudsen. Has a block size of 128 bits. Key size is 128, 192, or 256 bits. Uses a substitution-permutation network instead of Feistel cipher. Uses 32 rounds working with a block of four 32-bit words. Each round applies one of eight 4-bit to 4-bit S-boxes 32 times in parallel. Designed so all operations can be done in parallel.

MD5 - hash function. Created by Ronald Rivest. Replaced MD4. 128 bit output size, 512 bit block size, 32 bit word size, 64 rounds. Infamously compromised by Flame malware in 2012.