I learned today that there's a company calling itself "Crypto.Com, Inc." Recently they issued a press release that makes some rather extravagant claims about their new cryptographic technology. I have no information on what the merits of this technology might or might not be, but please be aware that "Crypto.Com, Inc." is in no way affiliated with me, the crypto.com domain, or this web site. I have no idea who these people are, where they came from, or what they do, nor can I offer more than speculation about why they chose to call themselves "Crypto.Com", a name which I have had registered and been using continuously "in commerce" for the last eight years.
Unfortunately, at least one press release (which was about the purchase of "Crypto.Com, Inc." by a company called "Eurotech") made such outrageously strong claims that I'm worried about serious harm to my own reputation should people erroneously conclude that this "Crypto.Com, Inc." outfit has something to do with me. In particular, the Business Wire press release states that:
"... The technology provides for absolute security on open circuits between two users without the use of a key. The new cryptography concept creates absolutely unbreakable ciphers allowing software to be absolutely secure for the Internet, networks, and telephone lines. ..."
I have no idea what "the technology" is, but one of the first things that beginning students of cryptography learn is Shannon's proof that the only "absolutely unbreakable" ciphers that can possibly exist for "open circuits" not only require the use of a key, but that the key be at least as long as the message and used only once.
-Matt Blaze, 29 February 2000