February 22, 2023
by
Jane F
Not addressing the Cryptography Lag risks increasing the frequency and severity of data breaches, potentially resulting in millions of dollars in company damage.
But what is the cryptography lag? Why does it exist? And what can we do to catch up?
We’re witnessing an explosion of companies in the AI space. These are all made possible by decades of artificial intelligence research, all starting in a summer workshop in Dartmouth in 1956. The same has not been true for cryptography — even though one of the four proposers of the AI workshop was Claude Shannon, who was also instrumental in the foundation of modern cryptography.
This ‘lag’ in production systems behind academic cryptography is something we’re actively working on reducing at Evervault. There are, however, a few reasons why the lag has existed.
New cryptosystems are often patented. For example, Hellman, Diffie, and Merkle filed a patent for public-key cryptography. [2]
While patenting cryptosystems may contribute to the Cryptography Lag (because a monopoly is granted to inventors when it comes to using the cryptosystem), there’s a way in which filing a patent is better than not filing a patent.
Under patent law, a monopoly is granted for a set time in exchange for disclosure to the public on how to make or practice the invention, i.e. the inventor must disclose to the public how their design works. In cryptography, public knowledge of how a cryptosystem works is essential.
Indeed, a corollary of Kerckhoff’s Principle (that a cryptosystem should be secure even if everything about the system, except the key, is public knowledge) is that a developer should only use cryptosystems about which everything is known.
Encryption is a dual-use technology with both civil and national security applications and implications. As a result, there have historically been governmental restrictions on civil applications of encryption.
Hopefully, there's not a lot that will or could go wrong with your rental property, but you should still know the law. Make sure you have a good understanding of state laws regarding tenants, as well as zoning laws and federal laws. As just one example, you're required to disclose lead-based paint hazards to your tenants.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or familial status. Just because it sounds innocuous or even truthful doesn't mean it's legal to put in your advertisement. So, if you add a line in your listing about the property being perfect for a "single renter," that could be construed as being discriminatory against families.
You should seek out and read landlord laws before you rent out your house. Know your legal obligations and responsibilities, and be prepared to fulfill them. If you have any questions, you can consult with a real estate lawyer to better understand what your rights and responsibilities are. A property management company can also help you understand your rights and responsibilities as a landlord as you rent your home to a tenant.
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