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‘Nearly unbreakable’ encryption inspired by biology

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A team of physicists has built a "nearly unbreakable" encryption system devised using the same mathematical principles that explain how the human heart and lungs function in unison.

The system has been described in a paper published in Physical Review X, penned by Tomislav Stankovski, Peter McClintock and Aneta Stefanovska of Lancaster University, and a patent has already been filed. The kicker is, not one of the physics professors had experience in encryption. Their joint backgrounds are in engineering, nonlinear dynamics and biomedical/physics engineering, but when they read up on the latest discoveries around the cardiorespiratory coupling function -- the way in which the heart and lungs work together continuously -- the potential applications became clear.

"Knowing about some of the open problems in encryption, we suddenly realised that what we tried to understand in biology can also be applied here," Stefanovska told Wired.co.uk. "Coupling" essentially involves a time-varying delay, that when translated to encryption systems means an infinite number of secret encryption keys shared by the sender and recipient is possible. It means it is "highly resistant to conventional methods of attack" according to Stankovski.

Stefanovska explains: "The information signals are encrypted in the coupling functions; i.e. they modulate the nonlinear coupling functions between two dynamical systems (analogous to the heart and lungs). Two signals, one from each system, are transmitted through the public channel. At the receiver, knowing what those coupling functions are, the process can be reversed."

The system also lowers the chances quite dramatically of any interference and "random noise" that can weaken such communication systems. "This makes it suitable for implementation not only for landline but also for mobile and wireless communications, where the level of external interference tends to be higher," write the authors in Physical Review X.

The system has been rigorously tested, leading McClintock to claim: "This promises an encryption scheme that is so nearly unbreakable that it will be equally unwelcome to internet criminals and official eavesdroppers." Stefanovska explains that the word "nearly" is only used for the sake of caution -- to date, there have been no possible breaches to the system identified.

The filed patent names Robert Young, a cybersecurity expert, as a co-developer, and the team says so far "initial reactions were positive" from industry experts.

When we asked Stefanovska about the impact such a system could have in a post-NSA/GCHQ mass surveillance world, she responded: "The potential certainly exists -- and the importance and relevance is self-evident. It depends on the outcome of attempts to break the encryption scheme. If it resists attack to the extent we anticipate, there can indeed be real impact."

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'Nearly unbreakable' encryption inspired by biology

Security and quality top companies’ reasons for using open source

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Why should you use open source software? The fact that its usually free can be an attractive selling point, but thats not the reason most companies choose to use it. Instead, security and quality are the most commonly cited reasons, according to new research.

In fact, a full 72 percent of respondents to the eighth annual Future of Open Source Survey said that they use open source because it provides stronger security than proprietary software does. A full 80 percent reported choosing opensource because of its quality over proprietary alternatives.

Surprisingly, the fact that it's often free is not the main reason most businesses choose open source software.

Sixty-eight percent of respondents said that open source helped improve efficiency and lower costs, while 55 percent also indicated that the software helped create new products and services. A full 50 percent of respondents reported openly contributing to and adopting open source.

Results of the survey, conducted by Black Duck Software and North Bridge Venture Partners, were released Thursday and paint an even rosier picture for open source than did last years results. A record-breaking 1,240 industry influencers took part in this years survey, answering questions about open source trends, opportunities, adoption drivers, community engagement, and the business problems open source solves.

We are witnessing a sea change in the way enterprises organize their infrastructure, throwing out proprietary brands in favor of highly efficient and cost-effective open platforms, said Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu and Canonical, which participated in the survey.

I had a chance earlier this week to speak with Lou Shipley, Black Ducks CEO, along with Michael Skok, general partner at North Bridge, about what the results mean for those in SMBs.

Smaller companies are driven by cost, like everybody, Shipley told me. The use of open source lets you drive your costs down. It also helps you to recruit the best employees.

Organizations must understand that its about more than just cost-cutting or any of the traditional reasons to use open source software; its about participating and managing the logistical challenges to gain competitive advantage, attract top talent and influence project direction.

Overall, small firms can have a competitive advantage by standardizing on open source, he said.

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Security and quality top companies' reasons for using open source

Open Source Alternatives For Windows XP

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As the sun sets on Microsofts support for Windows XP this may be a great time to think about trying out a Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) operating system for your still-working PC.

Picture: MBK

This is especially the case when older hardware cannot run newer versions of Windows (such as 7, 8 or 8.1). Your only other option then is to either dispose of the old XP machine or it keep running and face potential security threats.

But many software developers, both hobbyists and professionals alike, have contributed to a growing body of FOSS programs that now numbers in the tens of thousands. These software programs are licensed for anyone to freely download and use.

To simplify the downloading and installing, collections of these many software components, called distributions, are available ready for users to download and start using straight away.

Many of these distributions are based on the Linux kernel, which is highly regarded due to its robustness, performance, security, broad support and low cost.

Linux has become the dominant operating system for internet sites, powering Google, Facebook, YouTube and many others. It is also the dominant operating system powering Android phones and tablets, televisions, home routers and many other devices.

Over the years, Linux-based distributions have become more and more popular and any machine capable of running Windows XP is a good candidate for running a Linux distribution such as:

Thats just to name a few there are many more available.

These package together a suite of standard programs which enable you to do the types of things you would do in Windows XP, such as search the web, send and receive emails, edit and print documents.

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Open Source Alternatives For Windows XP

Snowden warning on wider US Govt monitoring

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Accused US government whistleblower Edward Snowden is introduced to supporters of Amnesty International, via teleconference during the Amnesty International Human Rights Conference 2014 in Chicago. Photo by Reuters

A sympathetic crowd of nearly 1,000 packed a downtown Chicago hotel ballroom at Amnesty International USA's annual human rights meeting and gave Greenwald, who dialed in from Brazil, a raucous welcome before Snowden was patched in 15 minutes later to a standing ovation.

The pair cautioned that government monitoring of "metadata" is more intrusive than directly listening to phone calls or reading emails and stressed the importance of a free press willing to scrutinize government activity.

Metadata includes which telephone number calls which other numbers, when the calls were made and how long they lasted. Metadata does not include the content of the calls.

Amnesty International is campaigning to end mass surveillance by the U.S. government and calling for Congressional action to further rein in the collection of information about telephone calls and other communications.

Last year, Snowden, who had been working at a NSA facility as an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked a raft of secret documents that revealed a vast U.S. government system for monitoring phone and Internet data.

The leaks deeply embarrassed the Obama administration, which in January banned U.S. eavesdropping on the leaders of friendly countries and allies and began reining in the sweeping collection of Americans' phone data in a series of limited reforms triggered by Snowden's revelations.

Snowden faces arrest if he steps foot on U.S. soil.

President Barack Obama said last month he plans to ask Congress to end the bulk collection and storage of phone records by the NSA but allow the government to access metadata when needed.

Snowden and Greenwald said that such data is in fact more revealing than outright government spying on phone conversations and emails.

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Snowden warning on wider US Govt monitoring

Snowden, Greenwald urge caution of wider govt monitoring

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CHICAGO - Edward Snowden and reporter Glenn Greenwald, who brought to light the whistleblower's leaks about mass US government surveillance last year, appeared together via video link from opposite ends of the earth on Saturday for what was believed to be the first time since Snowden sought asylum in Russia.

A sympathetic crowd of nearly 1,000 packed a downtown Chicago hotel ballroom at Amnesty International USA's annual human rights meeting and gave Greenwald, who dialed in from Brazil, a raucous welcome before Snowden was patched in 15 minutes later to a standing ovation.

The pair cautioned that government monitoring of "metadata" is more intrusive than directly listening to phone calls or reading emails and stressed the importance of a free press willing to scrutinize government activity.

Metadata includes which telephone number calls which other numbers, when the calls were made and how long they lasted. Metadata does not include the content of the calls.

Amnesty International is campaigning to end mass surveillance by the US government and calling for Congressional action to further rein in the collection of information about telephone calls and other communications.

Last year, Snowden, who had been working at a NSA facility as an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked a raft of secret documents that revealed a vast US government system for monitoring phone and Internet data.

The leaks deeply embarrassed the Obama administration, which in January banned US eavesdropping on the leaders of friendly countries and allies and began reining in the sweeping collection of Americans' phone data in a series of limited reforms triggered by Snowden's revelations.

Snowden faces arrest if he steps foot on US soil.

President Barack Obama said last month he plans to ask Congress to end the bulk collection and storage of phone records by the NSA but allow the government to access metadata when needed.

Snowden and Greenwald said that such data is in fact more revealing than outright government spying on phone conversations and emails. "Metadata is what allows an actual enumerated understanding, a precise record of all the private activities in all of our lives. It shows our associations, our political affiliations and our actual activities," said Snowden, dressed in a jacket with no tie in front of a black background.

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Snowden, Greenwald urge caution of wider govt monitoring


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